TRAGE(DIE)S
by Mayremmy
Summary: SISFIC - SEASON 2. They say hold on to your parents, for the world is scary and confusing without them, and Emmy could only relate to that. But mostly it left her afraid – afraid of the unknown, afraid of saying goodbye, afraid of losing someone she loves … again.
1. Devil's Trap pt2

**Disclaimer: Supernatural belongs to Eric Kripke. I only own my character Mary-Elisabeth "Emmy" Winchester.**

 _Jefferson City, Missouri_

Sam was pouring salt along the window sills of the cabin, his gaze occasionally drifted to look through the window as he tried to keep an eye out. Even though the cabin they chose to lay low was camouflaged by the many trees in the woods, you still could never be too safe or guarded.

The sound of footsteps made Sam turn around. Dean took notice of how battered his brother's face was – there was a bruise forming on his cheek that would soon change in all colors of the rainbow, his right eye was almost swollen shut and many cuts marred his face.

"How is he?" Sam asked, referring to their father.

"He just needed a little rest, that's all." Dean leaned against an old dresser, crossing his arms over his chest. "How are you?"

Sam turned his back on his brother as he finished the salt lines. "I'll survive." Dean knew that he really wasn't, hence why he wasn't making any contact, afraid he'll see right through the lie. "Hey, you don't think we were followed here, do you?"

"I don't know. I don't think so." Dean ran an exhausted hand down his face. "I mean, we couldn't have found a more out-of-the-way place to hole up."

"Yeah." Sam turned around, facing his brother. "Hey, uh ... Dean, you, um …" he nervously licked his lips, "you saved my life back there."

Dean smirked tiredly. "So, I guess you're glad I brought the gun, huh?"

Sam snorted. No matter how screwed up the situation they were in, it didn't seem to affect Dean's wittiness. "Man, I'm trying to thank you here."

Dean nodded, giving his brother a knowing look, the one that said he appreciated it. "You're welcome."

Sam crossed the room to his bag. "We should call Emmy. She's probably worried to death."

"Yeah, I almost forgot about that." Dean moved to get his own cell phone, cursing when it didn't want to turn on. "Crap, mine is dead."

"Mine's still charged. I just have to find it." As if on cue, Sam's phone suddenly rang. Following the sound, he found it in the small pocket on the inside of his bag. Throwing one look at the caller-id, he couldn't help but smile.

"Emmy?" Dean guessed.

"Maybe she's the psychic one," Sam chuckled before picking up.

 _"_ _Sammy?"_ Emmy's soft voice was like a light shining through the dark. It made him realize that not his entire family was messed up, there was still that good left between all the bad.

"Hey, honey. I was just about to call you."

He could hear her let out a sigh in relief. _"Are you okay? Is Dean okay? Where are you now? Did you guys find Dad? Please tell me you found Dad,"_ she rambled on, obviously worried as they had predicted.

"Yeah, we found him, he's –"

She didn't let him finish. _"Can I talk to him?"_

Sam was a little doubtful. "Uh, he's kinda resting right now …"

"I think I just heard him getting up," Dean spoke up. Just as he said that, their father emerged from the room he was sleeping in. He looked beat, like he could use a year's worth of sleep. But weren't they all on the verge of collapse.

"Oh, he just got up. You're lucky," Sam told his sister. "Here I'll pass you through." He handed the phone to his father. "It's Emmy."

 _"_ _Daddy?"_

John smiled at hearing her sweet voice. "Hey, baby girl."

 _"_ _Oh, Daddy I'm so happy to hear your voice. I was so worried about you, I thought I would never see you again."_ Her voice broke and he knew she was on the verge of tears.

"Oh, Emmy don't say that. You know that's not true." John moved across the room, away from his sons so he could talk to her in private.

Dean thought it was weird but didn't dwell on it too much. "Hey Sam?"

Sam looked up from watching his father. "Yeah?"

Dean focused on his hands as he talked. "You know that guy I shot? There was a person in there."

Sam noticed the way his brother was beating himself up about something again. He always tended to take the blame for everything. "You didn't have a choice, Dean."

"Yeah, I know, that's not what bothers me," he sighed.

Sam raised his eyebrows. "Then what does?"

"Killing that guy, killing Meg." Dean looked up to meet his brother's eye. "I didn't hesitate, I didn't even flinch. For you, Emmy or Dad, the things I'm willing to do or kill, it's just, uh," he briefly closed his eyes, " ... it scares me sometimes."

Sam seemed like he didn't know what to say, and kept quiet. Both boys were lost in their thoughts, the only sound was their father talking on the phone.

"I will. And I love you too, sweetheart." John finished the call and got back to his sons. "It shouldn't, Dean."

Snapped out of his thoughts, Dean asked, "What?"

"It shouldn't scare you. You did good."

Dean frowned. "You're not mad?"

"For what?" John shrugged.

Dean exchanged a quick glance with Sam before he replied, "Using a bullet."

"Mad?" John snorted with a laugh. "I'm proud of you. You know, Sam and I, we can get pretty obsessed. But you," he walked closer to Dean, giving him a look that should have made him bursting with pride, but instead Dean thought it was unsettling, "you watch out for this family. You always have."

Dean cleared his throat in uneasiness. "Thanks."

The ripped curtains started waving around when the wind suddenly picked up. The discolored light bulbs began to flicker, covering the cabin in electric sparks of light.

John got closer to the window, moving the curtains aside. "It found us. It's here."

"The demon?" Sam sounded alarmed. He could've sworn they did a great job at protecting this cabin, how the hell did Azazel still manage to find them?

"Sam, lines of salt in front of every window, every door," his father ushered him, frantically moving around the room.

"I already did it," he pointed out.

John gave him a pointed look. "Well, check it, okay?"

Sam was about to argue against him, but common sense told him to leave it and not make it worse. "Okay," he nodded as he left the room.

"Dean, you got the gun?" John pressed.

Dean, who had been surprisingly calm, only offered his father a simple, "Yeah."

John cocked a questioning eyebrow at his collected demeanor. "Give it to me."

Dean carefully took the Colt out of his jeans. "Dad, Sam tried to shoot the demon in Salvation. It disappeared."

"This is me. I won't miss," John insisted exasperatedly. "Now, the gun, hurry," he claimed, sticking his hand out.

Dean looked down at the gun with hesitation.

"Son, please."

Dean clenched his jaw as he backed up several steps.

John looked confused but he was mostly fed up and short on patience. "Give me the gun. What are you doing, Dean?"

"He'd be furious," Dean said haltingly.

"What?" he asked.

"That I wasted a bullet," Dean explained. "He wouldn't be proud of me, he'd tear me a new one."

John only stared back at him when Dean raised the Colt, pointing it at him, cocking it.

"You're not my Dad."

John took a step closer, only to have Dean take a step back. He let out a frustrated sigh. "Dean, it's me," he insisted.

"I know my Dad better than anyone." Dean shook his head. "And you ain't him."

"What the hell's gotten into you?" His father looked offended but Dean caught a tinge of amazement.

"I could ask you the same thing." When John made another move to come closer, Dean's hand gripped the gun tighter. "Stay back," he warned.

"Dean?" Sam appeared in the room. He was shocked as he took in the sight in front of him. "What the hell's going on?"

"Your brother's lost his mind," John shook his head.

Sam frowned, looking at his brother for an explanation.

"He's not Dad," Dean said.

Sam was stunned to say the least but he still made the choice to move closer to his brother. "What?"

Never taking his eyes off their Dad, Dean said, "I think he's possessed. I think he's been possessed since we rescued him." He blinked a few times, trying not to reveal his glistening eyes.

John put his hands up, as if trying to calm them both down. "Don't listen to him, Sammy."

Sam observed his father, trying to find something that would confirm his brother's suspicion. "Dean, how do you know?"

"He's ... he's different," Dean forced through gritted teeth. "He called Emmy _sweetheart_ and he never calls her that. I'm the only one who gets to call her that."

"Are you kidding me right now? That's the only proof you got, other than me being _different?_ Wow, Dean. And here I was thinking I taught you better than that," John confronted. "You know, we don't have time for this." John chose to focus on Sam instead, knowing he already lost Dean's trust. "Sam, you wanna kill this demon, you've gotta trust me."

His youngest son looked back and forth between his brother and father. He looked conflicted, torn between the two men he would die protecting. It wasn't fair he had to take a side, knowing he'll have no choice but let one of them down.

"Sam?" John pushed.

It took a full minute before he made a choice. Sam moved closer to his brother, his best friend, the one who always got his back no matter what, the one who always put anyone else first. "No. No."

John looked at them, his face void of any emotions. "Fine. You're both so sure, go ahead." He dropped his hands, giving Dean full access. "Kill me."

Dean could feel his veins pulse, his blood pumping in his ears and a trail of sweat on the back of his neck. His brains told him to shoot but his heart was the one that had control on the trigger, stopping him from actually pulling it.

"I thought so." John's lips curled into a disturbing smirk. Before any of the brothers could react, they were both thrown against the wall, pinned there. Sam and Dean struggled against the demon's invisible hold while John picked the Colt up. "What a pain in the ass this thing's been," he said as he twirled the gun around between his fingers.

"It's you, isn't it?" Sam spat, breathing hard. "We've been looking for you for a long time."

 _John_ looked up, showing off his sickly yellow eyes. "Well, you found me."

Sam swallowed hard. You never get used with seeing someone possessed, let alone your own father. "But the holy water?"

"You think something like that works on something like me?" he chuckled. Normally whenever John chuckled it was a rare sound. His family didn't get the chance to hear him laugh as much as he did before Mary died. But hearing the demon use their father's voice, it was too disturbing.

Sam tried to fight against the bounds but in vain. "I'm gonna kill you!"

"Oh, that'd be a neat trick. In fact," the demon put the gun down on the table, "here. Make the gun float to you there, psychic boy." He shot him a challenging grin.

Sam did look at the gun, straining himself as he tried to move it but when was luck ever on his side. It was a Winchester curse.

"Well, this is fun." _John_ snorted. Walking over to Dean, he couldn't help but give him a taunting smile at seeing him struggle. "I could've killed you a hundred times today, but this," he waved his arms around, "this is worth the wait. Too bad you didn't bring the little one."

It took everything in Dean not to verbally attack this son of a bitch in front of him who thought it had the right to possess his own father.

"Your Dad," the demon tapped his chest, "he's in here with me. Trapped inside his own meat suit. He says _hi_ by the way. He's gonna tear you apart. He's gonna taste the iron in your blood." Every word came out slowly to make sure they would cut like a knife.

Dean's nostrils flared. "Let him go, or I swear to God –"

"What? What are you and God gonna do?" he mocked. "You see, as far as I'm concerned, this is justice. You know that little exorcism of yours? That was my daughter."

"Who, Meg?" Dean sounded surprised.

"The one in the alley? That was my boy," the demon growled. "You understand."

Dean rolled his eyes, aggravated. Like he gave a crap about the demon spawn. "You've got to be kidding me."

"What? You're the only one that can have a family?" the demon disputed. "You destroyed my children. How would you feel if I killed your family?" His lips formed an evil smile as if he suddenly remembered something. "Oh, that's right. I forgot. I did. Still, two wrongs don't make a right.

"You son of a bitch," Dean hissed.

"I wanna know why," Sam demanded, drawing the attention of the demon. "Why'd you do it?"

"You mean why did I kill Mommy and pretty, little Jess?"

Sam's throat closed up. After all this time, it still was a sore spot. "Yeah."

 _John_ turned back to Dean. "You know, I never told you this, but Sam was going to ask her to marry him. Been shopping for rings and everything." He turned back to Sam. "You want to know why? Because they got in the way."

"In the way of what?" Sam questioned.

The demon took a step closer to him. "My plans for you, Sammy," he whispered. " _You_ and all the children like you."

"Why didn't you just take me when you had the chance," Sam couldn't help but wonder.

"Your whore of a mother wasn't supposed to even live long enough to see you crawl, Sammy. I think you should show me some gratitude for being considerate enough to give her some extra years on this godforsaken earth."

"Why wait for so long to strike then, huh? Why being so patient about getting her out of the way when you could've easily whisked me away?" Sam demanded.

"Cause I lost interest in you, Sammy. See your mother offered me something so much better." _John_ smirked, sending distressing vibes to the brothers. "One of the most purest, innocent and virtuous souls ever created. A newborn. Or in this case, your sweet and loving baby sister."

Sam visibly paled. "No. It can't be." His words were barely just a whisper.

"You're lying," Dean growled. "Our mother would never do such thing!" The woman he knew adored her children, she lived for her children, there's nothing she wouldn't do for them.

"You're right about that one. I gave her ten years to give me what I want, in exchange I would leave her precious family alone. Honestly, everyone calls me cruel but that was probably the nicest deal I've ever made. Give me the baby before anyone could get attached and I would raise it like it was my own. And even the baby gets to benefit from it since it would never know what a heartless and cowardly mother she had." The demon started pacing around the room. "But your mother didn't keep her end of the bargain. She thought she was smart enough to hide your baby sister from me. Your father helped her with it – that's right, Johnny boy knows _everything_. It took me four months to locate your family. I have to admit, your parents were pros when it came to making the house demon proof." At the boys confused expressions, he elaborated, "Oh, you didn't know that either? Well now you know, your parents were supernatural suave before you guys were even born."

"So the only reason you killed our mother is because she wouldn't give you our sister?" Sam pressed.

"Your mother was stupid, that's why I killed her. If she had just handed me her daughter, I wouldn't even be here wearing your Daddy's meat suit," he spat. "But instead, she made everything so much worse. Not only did she blow the deal out of the water, you boys and your father also dared to hide that little girl from me, when belongs to _me!_ "

"Like hell she belongs to you," Dean shot back with a murderous tone. "Dream on, you son of a bitch."

 _John_ 's only reply was to smirk. "I knew you would say that. Call it a onetime mistake from my part, but I've learned my lesson. That's why I made the choice to take what I should've taken a long time ago when I had the chance." His yellow eyes shot to Sam, his glare burning with the intensity. "You." At Sam's uneasiness, he added, "Don't worry, I'll get your precious sister, too. I heard she was special, more experimental fun for me." He winked.

Dean cleared his throat. "Listen, you mind just getting this over with, huh? Cause I really can't stand the monologuing."

The demon got closer to him, fixing him with a downgrading look. "Funny, but that's all part of your M.O., isn't it? Masks all that nasty pain, masks the truth."

Dean scoffed. "Oh, yeah? What's that?"

"You know, you fight and you fight for this family, but the truth is they don't need you. Not like you need them," he confronted. "Sam – he's clearly John's favorite. Even when they fight, it's more concern than he's ever shown you. Mary-Elisabeth – well, she's the baby, everyone loves her. You think she worships the ground you walk on, but honestly Dean, I think it's the other way around. She can perfectly live without you, I'm not sure if you could though."

Dean licked his lips before they curled into a provocative smile. "I bet you're real proud of your kids, too, huh? Oh wait, I forgot. I wasted them." Again his smart mouth got the best of him but his smile didn't last long when he suddenly felt a white-hot pain.

"Dean! No!" Sam fought against the demon's force pinning him.

Blood started coating Dean's shirt around his chest area. "Dad! Dad, don't you let it kill me!" he sputtered.

 _John_ 's yellow eyes twinkled in amusement. Dean started to scream again from the internal torture.

"DEAN!" Sam yelled, breathing heavily as he kept trying to break free. " _NO_!"

Dean had trouble holding his head up, but he mustered up enough strength to look the demon in the eye. His father had to be somewhere in there, he had to be seeing what the demon was doing to his own son. "Dad, please," his voice hoarse as he begged, attempting to reach his father. Blood started to drip from his mouth as he spoke those last words before darkness consumed him.

" _DEAN!"_ Sam was panicking, bordering losing his mind.

John has fought a lot of battles in his life, from serving his country to killing monsters. But getting control over your own body and mind was the hardest thing he had ever done. He could feel the demon poisoning him, making him do things and say things that were against his will. It was like being paralyzed and mute, while having someone else directing your body. "Stop," he finally managed to say the word with lots of energy. Even though it was just a whisper, it still was enough to free his sons from the Demon's grasp. "Stop it," he sounded much more firmer, his eyes returning to their original color. He could feel as he was slowly getting the upper hand.

Sam didn't wait a second longer and grabbed the gun off the table. He aimed it at his father with trembling hands.

John's eyes got back to yellow as he turned to Sam lying on the floor. "You kill me, you kill Daddy."

Sam's jaw clenched, his eyes reflecting the pain he felt inside at what he was about to do. "I know." He fired the gun, shooting his father right in the leg. John's knees buckled and he fell to the ground. Sam used the wall as he got up and limped to his brother.

"Dean? Dean, hey?" He cupped his brother's face, shaking him when he noticed the pool of blood. "Oh God, you've lost a lot of blood."

Dean's eyes cracked open, his eyes were glazed over and unfocused. "Where's Dad?" he rasped.

"He's right here." Sam let out a breath of relief at seeing his brother alive, barely alive. "He's right here, Dean."

"Go check on him," Dean sounded breathless. When Sam didn't move, he pushed him again.

Sam sighed in frustration but he shoved his stubbornness aside for the moment and went to check on their father. He was lying motionless on the floor but he was also still alive.

John suddenly gasped, startling Sam. "Sammy! It's still alive. It's inside me, I can feel it. You shoot me. You shoot me! You shoot me in the heart, son!" He grabbed the gun and pointed it at his chest.

"Sam, don't you do it." Dean grunted, trying to sit upright. "Don't you do it."

"You've gotta hurry! I can't hold onto it much longer! You shoot me, son! Shoot me! Son, I'm begging you! We can end this here and now! Sammy!"

"Sam, no," Dean almost growled.

Sam's head felt like it was going to explode from the pressure.

"You do this!" John grabbed Sam's arm. "Sammy! Sam – " His pleads suddenly got cut off by a black cloud leaving him through his mouth.

 **SPN**

"Look, just hold on, alright. The hospital's only ten minutes away."

John's only reply was a grunt while Dean remained unconscious; he had already lost too much blood and Sam feared he would never see his brother's piercing green eyes again. As he drove the Impala, he thought of how it wasn't his place to drive the car, it was Dean's. Instead of lying in the backseat, drenched in his own blood, he should've been threatening Sam for even daring to touch his baby.

Sam's eyes constantly switched from the road, back to the rearview mirror. The tension and stress was nauseating but he managed to push that to the back of his head and focus on the task at hand – which was getting his brother and father to the hospital.

"I'm surprised at you, Sammy," John suddenly broke the silence. "Why didn't you kill it? I thought we saw eye-to-eye on this? Killing this demon comes first – before me, before everything." John didn't sound accusing, but he was more disappointed in his son. Disappointed at the fact that after all these years of drilling it into their heads, Sam still chose him over the yellow eyed demon, the one that killed the love of his life.

Sam took a deep breath through his nose, his jaw set, as he was about to prove his father wrong once again. In the midst of his argument, they didn't see the eighteen wheeler coming at them from the right at full speed. It wasn't until they were blinded by the truck's headlights that it was already too late.

Because when life throws the unexpected, the Winchesters never turned away. They either learn how to roll with the punches or get knocked down by them.

 **A/N: Welcome back my lovely readers! Are you guys ready for second season, cause I am :)**

 **Don't forget to review/follow/favorite especially if you want to be notified for the next update! XXX**

 **Next chapter: In My Time Of Dying - tissues, make sure you got lots of tissues cause you're gonna need it to dry your tears :(**


	2. In My Time of Dying

**Disclaimer: I only own my character Mary-Elisabeth "Emmy" Winchester.**

Emmy yawned for what felt like the hundredth time, she didn't even bother covering her mouth anymore. She didn't get a wink of sleep last night, not since she had her father on the phone. His voice, the way he kept telling her that he'd be a better father, or how he promised to put their family before Azazel, and not to mention the fact that he called her _sweetheart_ – Emmy instantly sensed something was off. She had tried to call back but it looked like someone had turned the phone off, and that made everything more distrustful.

She remembered waking up Bobby and telling him about the suspicious call. He had told her not to worry her pretty little head and that her family would call her back in the morning and everything would be alright. But it didn't. The only phone call they got that morning was from the local hospital, and it wasn't good news. And to think that just a day ago, Emmy thought things were taking a turn for the better but now she realized how wrong she was. Things were going from bad to worse.

The only good thing that happened that morning was that Rumsfeld got back. He apparently got lost and stranded at some gas station miles away. A woman had found him and brought him back to the address written on his collar. But Emmy's happiness with his return was short-lived when she saw the Impala getting towed to Bobby's junkyard.

Emmy never thought she'd experienced heartache until she saw Dean's mangled baby. That car held endless memories of her childhood, from her father driving her around in the Impala when she was just baby and nothing else could rock her to sleep, to all those times Dean almost murdered her for _girly-ing_ his car. The Impala was her home and now her home was wrecked.

It was Rumsfeld's barking that pulled Emmy away from her thoughts.

"I see someone has found his way back home," Sam chuckled when the dog spun circles around his feet, tail waggling, obviously happy to see him, and he wasn't the only one.

"SAMMY!"

Sam had no time to react when he felt someone collapse against him, skinny arms wrapped tightly around his waist and a tear streaked face shoved into his stomach. He stifled a groan when he felt his ribs protest but he didn't make a move to untangle the nine year old from him, instead he wrapped his own arms around her, returning the hug. The two embraced without a word, they were both content just holding each other. They needed the reassurance that they were each okay and more importantly _alive_.

"Don't cry Emmy, it's alright. Everything's gonna be alright," Sam soothed as he peppered the top of her head with kisses, trying to cease his sister's tears.

"S-stop saying t-that," was her muffled response, her shoulders shaking. When did things ever go right in their lives? From the moment she was born, it seemed that the only way things were going was downhill and Emmy doubted they could ever get back up, especially after all these setbacks.

"Hey, come one. You know I hate seeing you cry," Sam tried instead. He wasn't about to argue with her on how the Winchesters were doomed when it came to happiness, even if it just lasted a second. He successfully untangled her arms so he could crouch down in front of her. His hands instinctively went to her cheeks, wiping the tears away. Her blurry eyes fell on his face and she seemed to have taken notice of his face for the first time, because she suddenly got back to crying.

"You look horrible," she sobbed, her fingers skimming over the multiple cuts and bruises on his face.

Sam sighed. If that was her reaction to seeing him – and he probably looked good compared to the rest of his family – he didn't want to know how she'd react seeing their father and brother.

"Well aren't you a charmer," he said instead, trying to mollify the situation. It didn't work though.

Emmy scowled through her tears. "Stop joking."

"Listen, it looks worse than it feels," he promised her, rubbing her arms.

"What about Dad and Dean?" she sniffed, using her sleeve to wipe her nose.

 _Oh God,_ Sam thought. How was he supposed to break the news to her without getting her more upset? Straightening himself, he swiftly hoisted her up and set her on the hood of a car, right next to the Impala. He took a deep breath before he spoke. "Dad's – Dad's alright, he's awake. He broke his right arm and fractured some ribs but other than that, he's okay."

"What about Dean?"

"Dean …" Sam started but found himself unable to form the words, not with his sister staring at him with those big blue eyes full of life, hope and love. He didn't want to crush her little heart, not when it was already crushed too many times.

"Sammy?" Emmy pushed softly with a hint of dread. It didn't take rocket science to know by now that her brother wasn't about to deliver good news. But she figured she could take it – one extra concern on top of her pile of misfortune wouldn't make more difference.

Sam grabbed her small hands, his thumbs brushing her knuckles. "Dean's in a coma." He didn't have the heart to watch her face as he dumped the information on her, although her broken voice didn't leave much to the imagination.

"What?" the question came out trembled, choked with emotion. "What does it mean? What is wrong with him? Is he gonna get better?"

Swallowing hard, he answered, "He sustained some serious injury – blood loss and contusions to his liver and kidney."

Emmy slowly nodded, taking the information in. Watching her brother, she could sense a _but_ coming causing her to mentally prepare for whatever bomb he was about to drop.

Sam squeezed her hands. "But it's the head trauma they're worried about. The doctor says there're early signs of a cerebral edema."

"What's that?" Emmy asked.

Sam briefly cursed himself for telling her all of this, maybe he was giving away too much. He thought about sugarcoating Dean's condition but he didn't want to lie to her by making something so crucial, unimportant.

"Cerebral edema is a brain swelling. It increases pressure in the skull which prevents blood from flowing to your brain, causing it to deprive the brain from getting the oxygen it needs to function," Sam explained.

"Can't they treat it?" she questioned.

"It's difficult," Sam sighed.

Emmy focused on their intertwined hands as she tried to process all of it. "Is he …," she couldn't even _think_ the words let alone _say_ them, "… is he gonna die?"

Sam remembered the doctor's words like they were engraved in his mind – _Most people with this degree of injury wouldn't have survived this long … you need to have realistic expectations … we won't know his full condition until he wakes up …_ if _he wakes up …_

Looking at his baby sister, he could practically hear her begging him to tell her what she wanted to hear instead of what she needed to hear. He would be damned if he let his family get struck by another tragedy, not again. Dean wasn't going to die, he would make sure of it. He didn't know how yet, but he'll come up with something, he'll find some hoodoo priest and lay some mojo on his brother if he has to.

Sam engulfed her in a warm hug, running a hand through the soft strands of hair. "He's not gonna die, honey," he whispered reassuringly into her ear.

The sound of footsteps made them break the hug but Sam kept his arm around her small shoulders. Bobby was walking over to them, Rumsfeld following him closely. He sent a sympathetic look at Emmy, patting her knee in a show of compassion.

He handed Sam a brown paper bag. "Here's the stuff your daddy asked for."

Sam took the bag. "Oh, thanks Bobby."

The man nodded, stuffing his hands in the pockets of his jeans. "Did John tell you what he wants with it?"

"Protection from the demon?" Sam guessed with a shrug. Bobby gave him a look. "What?"

He adjusted his hat, an uneasy habit of his. "Oh, nothing, it's just, uh –"

"Bobby? What's going on?" Sam asked, alert.

Instead of answering him, Bobby turned to Emmy. "Hey darlin', why don't you get dressed. I'm sure you want to go pay a visit to your daddy and big brother."

Emmy knew it was a way of dismissing her, whatever he wanted to say, he didn't want to say it in front of her. But she honestly didn't care anyway, she just wanted to see her family. Sam helped her of the hood, dusting of her shorts.

"Don't leave without me," she told him.

"Go ahead, I'll wait for you." Sam patted her butt, sending her off inside the house. He waited until she was out of sight before he faced Bobby. "Tell me."

 **SPN**

Emmy gripped her brother's hand tighter as they made their way into the hospital. The first thing she did was breath through her mouth, the smell of disinfectant and sick people was too strong and nauseating. Everything was too much, from the staff's squeaky shoes to the bright walls and floors. Plus everyone looked either sick, close to dying or just clearly unhappy. The hospital was just a bad place you needed to avoid.

The closer they got to the room, the more nervous Emmy got. She watched as the floor number in the elevator changed every two seconds until it stopped on the sixth floor. The doors opened and a long hallway was stretched out in front of them. Emmy gulped as she let her brother lead her to their father's room. She hated the familiar feeling of trepidation. It was the same way she felt when Dean was electrocuted and she had to hear how his heart was damaged beyond repair. She thought he was going to die, as in never going to see him again. When they managed to save him, she honestly thought there was a God who listened to her prayers. But now her brother was back in the hospital and his condition was ten times worse. Where was He now?

 _Sometimes happiness doesn't last just because we forget to thank God for it –_ That's what pastor Jim always used to tell her. It made Emmy realize that she hadn't been appreciating having her family around these last couple months. She was too busy wanting, wishing, for them to be a family again instead of being grateful that at least she had people to call family, even though they weren't always physically there. Maybe she should be thankful for what she has instead of being bitter for what she didn't.

"We're here." Sam knocked once on the door before he opened it.

John had just closed his eyes when he heard them coming in. He was about to tell Sam to let him rest for an hour or two when he caught the little blonde at his side, anxiously peeking at him from under her bangs. He mentally postponed his need for sleep and invitingly patted the space next to him.

"Hey, baby girl," he smiled.

A wary Emmy took small steps towards him until she reached his bed. "Hi, Daddy," she whispered.

John noticed her eyes roaming over him, taking him in – her eyes lingering on the sling and the IV hooked to his arm. He didn't want to push her and gave her the time she needed. Seeing your injured father lying in a hospital bed wasn't something you just got over, much less for a nine year old.

"How are you feeling," she finally asked.

John reached over to stroke her cheek with the back of his fingers. "I'm good, baby. Better now that you're here."

"It wasn't really you was it?" At John's confused expression she elaborated, "Last night, on the phone."

John's jaw flexed. Just the thought of the demon talking to his daughter was enough to send his heart rate up according to the heart monitor. "How did you know?"

Emmy shrugged. "The stuff he said about putting family before the demon, it just didn't sound like you."

John didn't know what hurt more, her hearing saying those words or the fact that she casually accepted that her father put his own family on second place.

"And you also called me sweetheart, only Dean calls me that," she added. "Uncle Bobby told me you were possessed by Azazel."

"I was," John nodded. "And I'm glad you listened to your brothers and stayed with Bobby. You understand us now when we tell you we just want to protect you? It's not because I want to keep you out of it, it's because I don't want you to end up getting hurt."

Emmy nibbled on her bottom lip. "I know," she said quietly.

John watched her for a minute before he opened his arms. "How about giving your old man some love, huh?"

Emmy smiled shyly but still carefully climbed on the bed to give him a hug. John wrapped his good arm around her, rubbing her back and combing her soft hair with his hand. He briefly closed his eyes as he pressed a kiss against her temple, he caught the scent of vanilla shampoo and pure innocence, making him realize that he might not have always done a great job at protecting his boys, but he hadn't screwed it up yet with his little girl. She was intact and unharmed, and that's what mattered.

It was then that _Dean_ joined them in the hospital room. He was still reeling from the shock of seeing his unconscious body but now he was more shocked of the spirit he had just witnessed. His hunter instincts kicked in, causing him to put his own needs on the background and deal with the supernatural first.

"Sammy!" _Dean_ moved to his brother who was leaning against the wall in silence. "Tell me you can friggin' hear me, man, there's something in the hospital. Now, you've got to bring me back and we've got to hunt this thing." Oblivious to his brother's presence, Sam didn't give any sign of having heard his brother. "Sam!" _Dean_ yelled. He lifted his arms up before letting them fall against his hips in exasperation. It wasn't until he faced his father that he had noticed Emmy. And the sight of his baby sister nearly took his breath away.

She was … _glowing_? _Dean_ couldn't believe his own eyes. Her body was surrounded by waves of bright, light colors. They vibrated and sparkled, reminding him of those spots you see in front of your eyes when you looked into the sun or when it's too hot outside, you can practically see the heat waves. But this, this was much more fascinating. _Dean_ could've sworn that as he watched Emmy embrace her father, the pulsing energy changed into a more whitish color.

"You're quiet," John broke the silence, snapping _Dean_ out of his thoughts.

Sam was fuming, his nostrils flaring. "Did you think I wouldn't find out?" he snapped, throwing the bag, containing the stuff from Bobby, at the foot of the bed.

"What are you talking about?" John adjusted Emmy in the crook of his arm so she was lying next to him with her head on his shoulder.

"That stuff from Bobby, you don't use it to ward off a demon, you use it to summon one," Sam confronted, raising his voice. "You're planning on bringing the demon here, aren't you? Having some stupid macho showdown!"

John sighed but he still kept his cool, mindful of his daughter next to him. "I have a plan, Sam."

"That's exactly my point! Dean is dying, and you have a plan!" Sam raked a hand through his hair frustratingly. "You know what, you care more about killing this demon than you do saving your own son!"

 _Dean_ was momentarily distracted by the change of color of the waves surrounding Emmy when they faded into a more reddish color. He snapped out of it and approached his brother and father. "No, no, no, guys, don't do this!"

"Do not tell me how I feel! I am doing this for Dean," John forced through clenched teeth.

"How? How is revenge going to help him?" Sam demanded with a challenging tone. "You're not thinking about anybody but yourself, it's the same selfish obsession!"

 _Dean_ walked between them, holding his hands up even though he knew it was useless. "Come on guys, don't do this! You're making Emmy upset." The said girl trapped her lips between her teeth, trying to hide from the two arguing Winchesters. _Dean_ knew she hated when they fought, she would always be as quiet as a mouse and try to disappear in the background.

John scoffed. "You know, it's funny, I thought it was your obsession too! This demon killed your mother, killed your girlfriend. You begged me to be part of this hunt. Now if you'd killed that damn thing when you had the chance, none of this would have happened!"

"It was possessing you, Dad, I would have killed you too!" Sam countered.

"Yeah, and your brother would be awake right now," John accused. It wasn't until it was already too late that he realized how much of a low blow his words were.

 _Dean_ saw the glistening of tears in Emmy's blue eyes and decided that he had had enough. "Shut up, both of you!"

Sammy glared at his father. "Go to hell."

"I should have never taken you along in the first place," John said with narrowed eyed. "I knew it was a mistake, I knew I was wrong —"

"I said, SHUT UP!" _Dean_ 's hand smacked a glass of water off the table, causing it to crash to the floor.

Emmy let out a yelp, her eyes darting between her father and brother. "W-what was that?" she squeaked.

 _Dean_ looked stunned in a positive way. "Dude, I full-on Swayze'd that mother." His elation didn't last long when he suddenly crumpled in pain. "What is it?"

John noticed the nurses and doctors running by in the hallway, and his alarm bell went off. "Something's going on out there." He flicked his hand, indicating his son to go find out, _Dean_ followed suit.

"Where's Sammy going?" Emmy asked.

John smoothed her hair down, pressing his lips against her head. "To find out what the fuss is all about." As he said that, his eyes suspiciously swept over the spilled water and the broken pieces of glass. Something was up.

Emmy tucked her head against her father's chest. "Hey, daddy?"

"Yeah, baby." John ran his fingers through the golden strands.

"Back at uncle Bobby's, when we trapped Meg, she told me something."

Those words instantly alerted John. "She did?"

"Mhmm," she nodded against his chest.

"What did she say?"

"She said that," Emmy swallowed hard, nervously licking her lips, "she said that … I belonged to Azazel … and not you."

John internally cursed Meg and every demon on earth back to hell. There was a reason why he kept his daughter away from every monster on earth – he didn't want her to get hurt physically but mostly emotionally. Those creatures had the most twisted ways of manipulating, they knew exactly how to play with someone's mind, hitting them right where it hurts the most. But his plan of not exposing her to that went straight down the toilet.

Emmy felt his fingers stop raking through her hair as they dropped on her shoulder. She rolled her eyes up when she noticed him getting quiet. "Daddy?"

John blinked, looking down at her. What was he supposed to tell her? That her mother made a stupid deal offering her to that yellow eyed hellion? That he almost decided to leave his wife when he heard about the compromise? That he travelled the states, trying to find the right elements to create a potion that would protect her? That the real reason her mother wasn't here right now, was because she died protecting her baby girl?

No. He couldn't drop all that weight on her small shoulders. What she didn't know, couldn't hurt her. Hiding the stuff she didn't _need_ to know, protected her. That was John's mantra.

"You know demons lie, sweetie," he told her, brushing some bangs from her eyes.

"So she was lying?"

John nodded. "Yeah she was." _Like I am, right now._ "It's what demons do."

"Oh," she breathed. "Okay."

"Where's your necklace?" John suddenly noticed. "Emmy what did I tell you about – "

"Uncle Bobby's fixing it," Emmy quickly cut him off. "Dean told him something about vampires catching my scent and the necklace wasn't supposed to let that happen, or something like that."

"Alright then. But you stay close to either me or Sam, you hear me?" he playfully tapped her freckled nose.

"I know Daddy," she smiled.

Someone suddenly barged through the door, causing John's arms to instinctively wrap tighter around Emmy. When he noticed it was just a breathless Sam, he eased.

"I felt him," Sam panted, wounded up.

Emmy looked at him weirdly. "You felt _who_?"

"Dean!"

John groaned when she suddenly sat up with a start. "He's awake?" she asked.

"What do you mean, you felt him?" John frowned.

"I mean it felt like, like Dean. Like he was there, just out of eyeshot or something. I don't know if it's my psychic thing or what – " Sam started rambling on. "But do you think it's even possible? I mean, do you think his spirit could be around?"

John had a pensive expression on. "Anything's possible."

"Well, there's one way to find out." Sam sounded determined, resolute.

"Where are you going?" John called after him when his son started leaving.

"I gotta pick something up. I'll be back," he said quickly.

"Wait, Sam." Sam walked back into the room, impatiently. "I promise I won't hunt this demon. Not until we know Dean's okay."

Sam held his father's eyes for several seconds, trying to find the sincerity behind his words. When he found nothing but honesty, he nodded before leaving.

Emmy tugged at her father's gown. "Daddy, can I go see Dean now?"

 **SPN**

Walking down the hallway with Tessa, another spirit who was admitted to the hospital, _Dean_ had to admit that it was nice not being the only one. It was freaky being 'out of your body', that much was clear. He wasn't used being on the other side, he wasn't used being the _hunted_ instead of doing the _hunting_. Guess the tables were turned and _Dean_ didn't like one little bit of it.

"I gotta say, I'm impressed."

Tessa casted him a questioning look. "With what?"

"With you." _Dean_ scratched the back of his head. "Most people in your spot would be jello right now, but uh, you're taking this pretty well. Maybe a little better than me."

Tessa scoffed. "Don't get me wrong. I was pretty freaked at first. But now, I don't know," she shrugged. "Maybe I'm dealing."

 _Dean_ 's eyebrows raised. "So you're okay with dying?"

The dark haired woman quickly shook her head. "No, of course not. I just think, whatever's gonna happen is gonna happen. It's out of my control, it's fate," she sighed, accepting whatever life had in store for her.

"Huh," _Dean_ huffed. "Well, that's crap. You always have a choice. You can either roll over and die or you can keep fighting." That's how he was raised – caving in was no option.

It took _Dean_ several seconds as he walked for him to notice that Tessa had long stopped. Her mouth was slightly open, her eyes filled with admiration as she stood there staring at something in wonder. Dean was about to ask her what she had seen when he followed her gaze.

Emmy.

"I-I've never seen anything like this before," Tessa whispered with a hand on her chest. "It's _beautiful_."

 _Dean_ stared at his baby sister, his cutie pie, as she held her father's hand while he talked to a doctor. She was nibbling on a Twix' bar and _Dean_ had the reflex to wipe away the trail of chocolate on her cheek. She had always been such a messy eater.

"What is it?" Tessa asked, still astonished.

 _Dean_ guessed that she was referring to the colorful, vibrant waves surrounding his sister. "Beats me."

Tessa's eyebrows bunched together as she thought hard. "I think it's her aura."

 _Dean_ briefly took his eyes off his sister to throw Tessa a weird look. "Her _aura_?"

"Yeah. I mean you can clearly distinguish the multiple layers. Every color stands for a specific aspect, like her emotions, her personality or spirituality," she explained. "I wonder if it's because of our condition that we can see it."

"It's because she isn't wearing her necklace," _Dean_ mumbled to himself, suddenly remembering the whole ordeal about her soul and aura. So that's how it looked like to other creatures? No wonder it attracts them, his sister shined so bright he bet even a blind monster would sense her.

Tessa's head snapped in his direction. "What?"

 _Dean_ cleared his throat. "I think it's because we're in limbo," he quickly answered. He wasn't about to explain the whole thing to this woman he just met.

Tessa only nodded. "She's really pretty," she smiled fondly. "Actually," she looked at him pensively, "she kinda looks like you. The nose, the lips, the bone structure."

 _Dean_ couldn't help but chuckle. Well now he couldn't hide it anymore. "She's my baby sister."

"Oh," Tessa's eyes widened. "That explains it. How come she's the only one with the –"

" _Room 237, code blue,_ " someone made a PA announcement. _"Dr. Kripke to room 237, code blue."_

"Hold that thought," _Dean_ told her before he ran off.

"Where are you going?" Tessa called after him.

"Just wait here!" And with that _Dean_ ran down the hallway to another room in crisis. His eyes instantly caught the same spirit, the one he had already seen with another patient, hovering over a young girl. As the doctors tried to resuscitate her, the spirit reached a hand into her face.

 _Dean_ lunged at the spirit. "Get away from her!" He watched as it vanishes but it was already too late.

One of the doctors called it. "Time of death, five eleven p.m.."

The nurse sighed sadly. "At least she's not suffering anymore."

 **SPN**

Emmy stared at Dean's comatose body as he lay in the white hospital bed, hooked up to a heart monitor and other machines by multiple wires. Hadn't it been for the steady beeping, she would've thought he was dead. She wasn't used to seeing him so still, even when he slept he was always two seconds away from attacking. But now … now he was two seconds away from dying.

John placed his hand on her shoulder from behind. "You don't have to – "

Emmy shook her head, stopping him from finishing his sentence. "I want to." _I have to._

"Alright then. I'll give you some time alone with your brother."

Emmy looked up at her father. "What do I do?"

John crouched down to her level, brushing her chin. "Talk to him."

She threw her motionless brother a look. "Will he hear me?"

"Doctor told me that coma patients recover faster when they hear a familiar voice," he shrugged. "I think it's worth the try." Emmy nodded. "You come get me if you need me, okay?"

"Okay."

John kissed her forehead before he left, closing the door behind him.

Emmy took a deep breath before she slowly let it out. She thought of how the silence in the room was deafening and how she felt goose bumps all over her skin, while she took small and slow steps towards her brother. There was a chair next to the bed, which she pulled closer to her brother before sitting on it.

Her eyes swept over every inch of his face as she felt the need to verify if the man in front of her was her actual brother – from the almost invisible scar behind his ear to the faint, eighteen freckles on his nose. But Emmy found nothing that could prove her that this wasn't Dean, because he clearly was.

Carefully taking his calloused hand in hers, she noticed how small and soft hers was compared to his. She missed the way his long fingers would engulf her hand, giving her a gentle squeeze. She even missed how his thumb would always absently stroke her knuckles. But now his hand just lay heavy and unresponsive in hers, another reminder of his condition.

"H-hey Dean." Emmy cleared her throat. "Dad said that I should talk to you but I'm not sure if you'll actually hear me … I don't really know what to say …" The distracting beeping of his heart monitor was the only sound filling up the silence and it made her nervous. Trying to block the sound, Emmy focused on her brother. "I'm really sorry about what happened. It shouldn't have happened to you. Not that I wanted Dad or Sammy to lie in here, but you probably deserve what happened to you the least of anyone on this earth." Her eyes started to sting with silent tears.

"Remember when you said you wouldn't go anywhere without me? I really hope you aren't planning on leaving me here, Dean. I know everyone I love has left me at one point – Mom, Dad and even Sammy … but never you. No matter what, you always stayed with me. You always took care of me without complaining once about it. You kept giving everything you had without expecting anything in return. You were there with every single step I took - when I said my first word, on my first day to kindergarten, when I lost my first tooth, you were even there on the father-daughter dance because Dad couldn't make it. And I realize now that I may have taken all of that for granted, I never told you thank you for just being there for me, for having my back."

Emmy used her sleeve to wipe away the tears rolling down her cheeks. Her shoulders shook from the sobs, the only thing refraining her from actually crying was the big lump in her throat. She mentally wished her brother could hear her, not knowing that he was listening. In fact, he was right behind her, listening to every word with tears in his eyes.

 _Dean_ wanted nothing more than wrap his arms around her and never let go. It broke his heart hearing his baby sister pour her little heart out. He wanted to tell her that she wasn't a burden at all, he loved taking care of her, he loved having someone depending on him. He would never trade her for the world, she meant more to him than she could ever think of.

Emmy sniffed. "To be honest, I don't think I can live without you," she whispered.

"Me neither, sweetheart," was _Dean_ 's silent reply. "Me neither."

"I mean who else would tie my shoelaces, attack me with tickles, sneakily buy me candy or sing _Hey Jude_ whenever I can't fall asleep. Who else is gonna call me cutie pie?" she chuckled through the tears.

 _Dean_ couldn't help but smile at that.

His sister brought his hand to her lips, dropping a kiss on the palm of his hand where there wasn't an IV hooked. "Please come back," she whispered before standing up and placing another kiss on his temple. She briefly ran her fingers through his hair, saying, "I love you."

 _Dean_ watched the scene unfold in front of him with a heartache so intense, he wanted to do something, give her a sign that he was right here and that he wasn't going to leave her anytime soon. But he couldn't even touch her, let alone talk to her. It was maddening.

"I love you too," was the only thing he could say. He just hoped that she didn't need to hear him to know that.

 **SPN**

Emmy had fallen asleep with her head on Dean's bed, using his hand as a pillow against her wet cheek. _Dean_ hadn't moved an inch from his stance against the wall since his sister had entered his room. He had been watching her sleep – she always looked so serene and so much younger and innocent when she slept. _Dean_ didn't care how creepy it sounded, but he loved watching her sleep. There was something oddly peaceful about it, it calmed him down.

Then there was the waves, or aura as Tessa had called it. It was fascinating, mesmerizing to watch. _Dean_ thought of Azazel's words – _I heard she was special_. And she was, in more ways than he knew. He still couldn't get over the other thing the demon said about his mother. Would she have really done that? Promise her own child to a monster like Azazel? It just didn't sound like his mother. The fact that his father knew all about it and never told him or Sam, only made him more mad. He had told them about her soul, that she was one of a kind, but that was about it. John had never once spoken a word about what really happened that night their house almost burned down the first time, when Sam was just six months old. John never told them how Mary and him already knew about what lurked in the dark.

But the Emmy thing still topped everything. _Dean_ couldn't wrap his mind around it. Looking at his sweet baby sister, knowing that she was promised to the yellow eyed demon, made his big brother instincts come out. He wanted nothing more than take her to the other side of the world, far away from that demon, far away from any harm.

How could his mother even do something like that? He knew that she only wanted save Sam, but at what cost? The life of her other child? And even though she had a plan of protecting Emmy and not ever giving her away, it still resulted in her death. And was it worth it? Yes, because she saved the little girl he couldn't live without. And no, because he lost the woman he couldn't live without.

 _Dean_ wondered how his father dealt with the revelation. Knowing that man like the back of his hand, he knew his father would've been pissed. Better yet, Dean suddenly remembered a huge fight between his parents, five years before Emmy was born. He wondered if that fight was the result of Mary telling her husband about the deal she made. That would explain why his father abruptly left for almost a month before coming back. It would also explain why his father suddenly befriended Bobby and other people that he now knew as hunters.

The door to the hospital room suddenly opened, revealing Sam clutching a paper bag in his arms. Sam closed the door quietly when he noticed Emmy sleeping. He dropped the bag on another chair before he reached her. He gently woke her up by rubbing her back.

Emmy stirred, blinking up at him confused. "Mhmm?"

Sam noticed one cheek was red from where she slept on Dean's hand, her eyes were also red rimmed, signaling him that she was either tired or had been crying – probably both.

"Hey honey," he smiled softly, brushing her hair away from her face.

Emmy rubbed her eyes with her fists, yawning. "How long was I asleep for?"

"Almost two hours," _Dean_ replied even though neither of them could hear him. He had also been wondering where his father was, he hadn't shown up since he dropped Emmy off.

"I left nearly three hours ago so I think you've been sleeping for about two hours," Sam answered. "You okay?" he asked her, searching her face.

Emmy nodded, looking at Dean. She had dreamt that this was all just a nightmare but it was obviously just a dream. "Yeah," she rasped, "just tired that's all."

Sam continued rubbing her back. "You want me to drop you off at Bobby's so you can get some rest?"

"No," she shook her head, looking more awake. "I wanna stay here with you guys."

Sam was about to point out that she looked exhausted, knowing that everything had taken a toll on her. But her pleading eyes begged him to stay with them. He relented, she wouldn't listen to him anyway, not when Dad was around, than she only listened to their father.

"Okay," Sam nodded, dropping a kiss on her head.

"So what did you get?" Emmy asked, pointing at the bag on the chair.

Sam chuckled nervously. "Don't make fun of me for this, but I think I found a way to talk to Dean."

Emmy sat up straighter in her chair. "You did?"

"Oh you gotta be kidding me," _Dean_ groaned from behind Sam when he pulled out a box labeled _Mystic Talking Board_.

Emmy's eyes widened. "An ouija board?" she followed her brother as he sat cross legged on the floor. "I thought that only worked in movies?"

"Can't hurt to try, right?" Sam said as he set the board on the floor. "It's the only way to find out if he's around or not."

"It's worth a shot I guess." Emmy sat on the opposite side of her brother, watching the board. "How does thing work?"

Sam took the triangular pointer and placed it on the board. "Put your hands on this." Emmy was a little skeptic about it but she did as he said. Sam exchanged a look with his sister before he asked, "Dean? Dean, are you here?"

Emmy looked around, expecting him to suddenly appear. His body was still motionless on the bed though.

 _Dean_ rolled his eyes. "God, I feel like I'm at a slumber party." But he decided to humor his siblings anyway. Sitting between them, he sighed. "All right, guys. This isn't going to work." Dean placed his own fingers on the pointer, slowly sliding it to _YES_ on the board.

Emmy gasped. "It moved! Sammy, it moved! I swear I didn't push it," she exclaimed. Gone was the exhaustion, she was excited now at the possibility of communicating with her brother.

"I'll be damned," _Dean_ muttered under his breath.

"I know, Emmy," Sam laughed in relief. "It's good to hear from you, man. It hasn't been the same without you, Dean."

"Yeah, we really miss you," Emmy added with a hint of sadness.

 _Dean_ had his trademark smirk plastered on his face. "Damn straight." He placed his fingers on the pointer again.

"What is he saying?" Emmy asked, watching the pointer slide to different letters.

"Dean what?" Sam questioned, confused.

"H? U?" Emmy mumbled. "Hunt? Hunting?" she guessed.

"Dean, are you hunting?" Sam asked. The pointer slid back to _YES_. "It's in the hospital, what you're hunting? Do, do you know what it is?"

"One question at a time, dude." _Dean_ slid the pointer to the letters R, E, A and P. "I don't think it's killing people. I think it's taking them. You know, when their time's just up."

"A reaper," Sam breathed. "Dean. Is it after you?"

 _YES._

"Oh no." Emmy shared a concerned look with her brother. .

"If it's here naturally, there's no way to stop it," Sam said.

 _Dean_ ran a tired hand down his face. "Yeah, you can't kill death."

Sam's shoulders dropped with the sudden weight of the news. "Man, you're, um … "

"I'm screwed, Sam." _Dean_ slowly shook his head.

"Is he gonna die?" Emmy choked out, her bottom lip trembling.

"Aw don't cry, sweetheart." _Dean_ wanted to hold her so badly.

"Emmy come here." Sam opened his arms for her. His baby sister crawled into his lap, feeling her brother embrace her with his long arms. "I'm not gonna let him die, honey. There's gotta be a way. Dad will know what to do," he mumbled against her hair. An idea suddenly popped into his mind. "Emmy stay here, I'll be right back."

"Where are you going?"

"You've seen Dad around?" Sam asked, standing up.

"No," she shook her head, "not since he dropped me off here."

"Okay, well I go look for him and bring us something to eat too." Sam started for the door, he turned around, giving her a pointed look. "Stay here."

Emmy yawned, waving him off. "I'm not going anywhere." She got back to sit on the chair next to Dean's bed. She tucked her knees under her chin, hugging her legs. "Guess it's just you and me, now."

 _Dean_ moved to stand behind her. "Just you and me, sweetheart," he sighed. Standing so close to her, he could suddenly feel the vibrant waves. They made him feel warm inside – not the hot kind but the relaxing kind. He itched to touch the glowing radiance as his fingers caressed it.

Emmy startled, sitting up in her chair.

 _Dean_ 's eyebrows rose up. "I'm guessing you felt that?"

"Dean, was that you?" Her hand trailed to her shoulder. She could've sworn she felt something. The pointer on the board suddenly slid to _YES_. "How do I know it's really you?" she couldn't help but ask. They were in a hospital, she figured lots of spirits were probably wandering around in this place.

"Cause I'm awesome, that's how," _Dean_ snorted a laugh. He slid the pointer to the letters Q, T, P and I.

"Cutie pie," Emmy giggled. "Oh, it's you alright."

Half an hour later, Sam came back with their Dad's leather journal and two take out containers. "Hey. So Dad wasn't in his room."

"Where is he?" Emmy and _Dean_ asked at the same time.

"No idea. I'm sure he won't be gone for too long," he answered as he handed Emmy one of the containers.

She opened it. "Mhmm, noodles."

Sam sat at the end of Dean's bed. "So I got Dad's journal, so who knows? Maybe there's something here." He started flicking through the pages, stopping on the page about the Reapers.

 _Dean_ stood behind him, reading with him. "Thanks for not giving up on me, Sammy," he started to say when his eyes suddenly fell on something. "Son of a bitch."

 **SPN**

Dean stalked down the hallway until he found Tessa in one of the rooms. She was sitting on the edge of the bed, dressed casually instead of her hospital gown.

"Hi, Dean."

Dean couldn't believe it. How did he not see this? "You know, you read the most interesting things. For example, did you know that reapers can alter human perception? I sure didn't. Basically they can make themselves appear however they want. Like, say, uh, a pretty girl. You are much prettier than the last reaper I met," he smiled but it didn't reach his eyes.

Tessa gave him a knowing look. "I was wondering when you would figure it out."

"I should have known." Dean licked his lips with a shake of his head. "That whole _accepting fate_ crap of yours is far too laid back for a dead chick. But the mother, and the body, I'm still trying to figure that one out."

"It's my sandbox, I can make you see whatever I want," Tessa explained.

Dean scoffed in a frustrating way. "What, is this like a turn-on for you? What, toying with me?"

"You didn't give me much choice," she approached him carefully. "You saw my true form and you flipped out. Kinda hurts a girl's feelings. This was the only way I could get you to talk to me."

"Okay, fine. We're talking. What the hell do you want to talk about?" he almost demanded.

"How death is nothing to fear." She walked over to him, gently touching his cheek. "It's your time to go, Dean. And you're living on borrowed time already."

 _Dean_ shook his head in disbelief. He walked over the window to stare into the dark night. He thought about his life, the things he had done, the things he still wanted to do. He wasn't ready to leave yet, he wasn't ready to die.

"Look, I'm sure you've heard this before, but ... you've gotta make an exception, you've gotta cut me a break."

Tessa watched his back, nodding knowingly. "Stage three; bargaining."

Dean turned around, facing her. "I'm serious. My family's in danger," he emphasized. "See, we're kind of in the middle of this war, and they need me."

"The fight's over," she told him gently.

"No, it isn't," Dean disagreed.

"It is for you," she told him with a calm tone. "Dean, you're not the first soldier I've plucked from the field. They all feel the same. They can't leave. Victory hangs in the balance. But they're wrong. The battle goes on without them."

Dean refused listening to her – she was wrong, he wasn't like anybody else. "My brother. He could die without me. My sister's still a kid, she _needs_ me."

"Maybe he will, maybe he won't. And your sister is stronger than you think, Dean. I could sense her strength." Tessa offered him a tender smile. "Either way, there's nothing you can do about it. It's an honorable death. A warrior's death."

Dean scoffed. "I think I'll pass on the seventy two virgins, thanks. I'm not that into prude chicks anyway."

"That's funny." Tessa didn't laugh. "You're very cute."

"There's no such thing as an honorable death," Dean discussed. "My corpse is going to rot in the ground and my family is going to die!" he stressed. "No. I'm not going with you, I don't care what you do." If she wanted to do it the hard way, then the hard way it is. He won't go down, not without a fight. And Dean was prepared to fight until his last breath if that's what it took.

Tessa's eyes narrowed a little at his defiance and strong will. It had been a while since she had dealt with a tough case, but Dean was something else. He was a challenge, that's for sure. A challenge she was willing to take. She knew all about him, which meant that she also knew about his weakness.

"Well, like you said. There's always a choice. I can't make you come with me. But you're not getting back in your body. And that's just facts. So yes, you can stay. You'll stay here for years. Disembodied, scared, and over the decades it'll probably drive you mad. Maybe you'll even get violent."

 _Hook._

Dean gave her a questioning look. "What are you saying?"

 _Line._

"Dean. How do you think angry spirits are born? They can't let go and they can't move on. And you're about to become one. The same thing you hunt."

 _Dean_ dropped on the bed, his head hanging low.

 _And sinker._

Tessa sat next to him, stroking his hair tenderly. "It's time to put the pain behind you."

"And go where?" _Dean_ asked. He sure wasn't going to heaven, he might have saved a lot of lives but that didn't make up for all his sins.

"Sorry. I can't give away the big punch line. Moment of truth. No changing your mind later." Tessa went quiet for several seconds, giving him the time to think it over, not that he had much choice. "So what's it going to be?"

As _Dean_ turned to look at her, the lights suddenly started to flicker. "What are you doing that for?" He looked at her puzzled.

Tessa stood up, looking around the room when she heard a buzzing sound. "I'm not doing it," she sounded alarmed. This wasn't going like she had planned, something wasn't right. Her suspicions were confirmed when a black cloud started pouring out of the vent in the floor.

Dean jumped to his feet, alarmed. "What the hell?"

"You can't do this! Get away!" Tessa shouted.

"What's happening?!" Dean demanded.

Tessa screamed as the blackness forced itself through her mouth. Dean automatically took a step back as he watched her getting possessed by –

"Azazel," he whispered to himself when Tessa's eyes glowed yellow.

"Today's your lucky day, kid," she smirked, placing a hand on his forehead.

 **SPN**

Sam adjusted Emmy in his lap where she had fallen asleep again. She was exhausted no matter how hard she tried to deny it. He absently twirled a blonde lock between his fingers as he kept watch on his brother. He had tried to contact him but he got no reply and it worried him to death.

"Dean? Are you here?" he tried again. He had hoped to catch the pointer slide to _YES_ , or feel a wind or even see a light bulb flicker … but nothing.

He groaned, running a hand through his messy hair. "I couldn't find anything in the book. I don't know how to help you. But I'll keep trying, all right? As long as you keep fighting."

He didn't want his brother to think that he was about to give up. He was a Winchester dammit, giving up wasn't in their vocabulary. There was no saying how many times his brother went through fire and water for his siblings. Dean saw it as his main priority to take care of Sam and Emmy. Who knows how many opportunities and chances at a normal life he had blown off, all for the sake of his family. Sam knew that no matter what he did, he could never repay his brothers for all the sacrifices he made, for every little thing he did for them.

"You can't, you can't leave me here alone with Dad. We'll kill each other, you know that," Sam's voice was thick with emotion. Emmy moaned in her sleep, burying her face deeper into the warmth of his neck. He looked down at her young and delicate features, brushing his thumbs over her eyebrows. "I can't take care of her alone, Dean. You're the one who raised her, you're the one who knows how to look after her. She needs you more than anyone else on this planet. If not for me, do it for her."

Sam sniffed, brushing his tears away. "Dean, you gotta hold on. You can't go, man, not now. We were just starting to be brothers again." Sam watched his brother closely, searching for a slight change that would give him the sign his brother heard him. "Can you hear me?"

Sam shook his head to himself. The little hope he had left was slowly vanishing into pure despair. His arms wrapped around his sleeping baby sister, hugging her tightly against him. He was suddenly overcome by exhaustion as he closed his eyes and hid his face in Emmy's soft hair.

 **SPN**

"Sammy! Sammy, wake up!"

"Mhmm, what?" he blinked at her, rubbing at his eyes. The clock hanging on the wall told him that it was three in the morning. He cursed himself for falling asleep.

Emmy jumped into his lap, cupping his cheeks as she demanded his full attention. "He squeezed my hand! I woke up cause I had to go to the bathroom and when I got back, you were still sleeping and I didn't wanna wake you up so I took the other chair and sat next to Dean. I held his hand and I squeezed it and then he squeezed _back!_ I swear Sammy, I felt it. He squeezed back! It happened only ten second ago and –"

"Whoa, okay, calm down," Sam cut off her rambling. He threw his intubated brother a look but couldn't detect a slight change. "Emmy, are you sure you actually felt it?"

Emmy dropped her hands from his face. "Off course I am, Sammy. Why would I lie about that?"

"I'm not saying you're lying, I'm just saying that it's been a very long night for both of us, so maybe you're just tired and – "

"I'm not imagining things either, Sammy!" she angrily stomped her foot. "He really grabbed my hand, it wasn't long or hard, it was just a quick squeeze and, and, and, … " she sighed, her shoulders dropping in disappointment. "You're right … it probably was nothing anyway," she mumbled miserably.

Sam tucked her back into his lap, kissing the side of her face. "Hey, don't lose hope, alright? Dean wants us to be strong."

Emmy shrugged, her watery eyes never leaving her comatose brother. "I want _him_ to be strong."

Just as those words left her lips, Dean suddenly gasped, his back arching. Emmy's eyes widened in shock, watching her brother cough, struggling to breathe with the tube inserted in his throat.

Sam instantly punched the help button after he put Emmy on her feet. "Help! I need help!" he yelled.

 **SPN**

Emmy punched the M&M button on the vending machine for the hundredth time. She punched it with her fists a couple times, even tried to shake the thing, but the yellow bag didn't budge. She tucked her hands in her pockets, trying to find some money but only had some dollar bills and the vending machine only took coins.

"Great," she muttered, giving the machine a kick with her foot. "Now what am I supposed to give Dean?" She had been so happy and excited when her brother woke up. She hadn't left his side since the doctor let them back into his room – that's probably why her father send her off to get Dean his favorite candy, to give her brother some room to breathe and recover.

"The thing stuck again?" An unknown voice suddenly asked from behind her.

Emmy turned around to see a tall man dressed in a pair of jeans, t-shirt and jacket. His shiny dark hair was neatly combed back and his brown eyes twinkled in mischief. Emmy didn't know the man, and she wasn't supposed to talk to people she didn't know, but this guy sent off vibes that instantly made her comfortable around him, she even trusted him.

"Uhm, yeah," she nodded. "It already ate all my coins."

The man gave one look at the vending machine and nodded. "I think I can fix that." He crouched down to her level and motioned for her to get closer. "Is it the M&M's that you want?" Emmy nodded. "Okay, well I know a trick but you have to promise not to tell anyone, okay?"

Emmy's eyes widened in excitement. "I won't tell," she promised.

"Alright then. The trick is to just stare at it until it falls."

The little girl gave him a weird look. Was he crazy or something? "Just stare at it?"

"Yep, just keep staring without blinking and it will drop," he told her with determination. Emmy still looked skeptic and he nudged her with his shoulder. "Wanna try?"

She shrugged. "Sure … I guess … "

"Let's do it together. Three, two, one!"

Emmy felt a little stupid as she stared at the dangling yellow bag. She glanced at the man out of the corner of her eyes and stifled a giggle when she saw him squinting his eyes in concentration.

"It isn't gonna work if you're not helping," he pointed out without taking his eyes off the M&M's. When she turned her gaze back to the machine, his lips twitched into a smirk. With a simple, silent snap of his fingers, multiple M&M bags suddenly fell down.

Emmy gasped. Not one, not two, not three, but _five_ bags dropped in the dispensing slot. "How did you do that?"

"Magic." He winked.

Emmy grinned. "Dean is gonna be in seventh heaven." She grabbed the packs and offered him one. "It's only fair if I share it with you."

He declined with a shake of his head. "No, you take it, sweet cheeks. It's all yours."

"Oh, well thank you mister …"

"Gabriel. You can call me Gabriel," he smiled. "So, who's the lucky guy getting all of that chocolate."

Emmy's face split into a wide smile. "Oh that's Dean. He's my brother. He just woke up from a coma today. The doctors say it's a miracle."

"You look like you don't believe that?" he noted.

Emmy shrugged her small shoulders. "I don't know, I don't really believe in miracles."

"Well, do you believe in God?" he asked.

"Sometimes. I used to believe in him but lately I feel like he isn't really out there," she told him.

"What makes you think that?" Gabriel questioned.

"Cause only bad things happen to me and my family," she answered gloomily, her eyes falling on her hands full of M&M's. "I've been praying a lot these last coupla months, but sometimes I get the feeling he isn't listening or something."

The man grabbed her chin, tilting her head up. "I can assure you that God is _always_ listening. Just because he isn't answering your prayers, doesn't mean he hasn't heard you. It means he has other plans for you, he maybe even has something better for you."

"But why does he let bad things happen to good people? It just doesn't seem fair, don't you think?" she marveled innocently.

"Everything in life happens for a reason, sugar," Gabriel sighed. "God never gives you something you can't handle. He lets bad things happen to make you stronger and there's nothing wrong with being stronger. In fact, believe me when I say that you are going to need that strength for later."

His words sounded familiar to Emmy, like she had heard it somewhere before. Only one person talked like that to her and that was Pastor Jim. She suddenly felt a pang in her heart at the reminder of him being gone. "A friend of mine who recently passed away used to say that God only gives his hardest battles to his strongest soldiers."

"And he is right. Promise you'll always remember that when you think about giving up, Mary-Elisabeth."

"Yeah, I will." She nodded. A thought suddenly came to her mind. "Wait, how did you know my name?"

"Emmy! There you are," John suddenly called causing her to turn around. "I've been looking for you everywhere."

"Oh, hi Daddy," she smiled. "Look what Gabriel got me." She showed him the M&M's.

"Who's Gabriel?" John asked.

Emmy was about to point to the man standing behind her when she suddenly noticed he was gone. She frowned. "He was right here just a second ago." She looked around, but couldn't spot him anywhere, it was almost like he disappeared out of nowhere. Strange … She also didn't get the chance to ask him how he knew her name.

"I'm sure Dean's gonna be really happy to see what you got him," John said, pulling her attention.

Emmy looked around once last time before she gave up. She faced her father with a dimpled smile, "Yes he will." She only know noticed the gift bag in her father's hand. "What's that?"

John handed her the bag. "It's for you."

"For me?" she asked in an excited, high-pitched voice.

"Consider it a birthday present," John smiled, tugging at her ponytail. "Now are you just gonna stare at it or open it?"

"But I don't understand," Emmy looked at him in confusion. "My birthday isn't until next week."

John swallowed down the big lump in his throat. "I know, baby girl. But I felt like this was the right time to give it to you."

"Oh, okay," she shrugged. "I don't think I could've waited until next week anyway," she grinned.

"You curious little bug," her father snickered, tweaking her button nose.

Emmy opened the bag and took out the blue tissue. Her mouth opened in surprise. "Aw, it's so cute!" She reached her hands inside and grabbed the dark blonde teddy bear. It had a little bow tied around its neck, its fur was so soft against her skin and it fit perfectly in her arms.

"You like it?"

"I'm in love with it," Emmy replied, hugging the chubby bear tightly.

"It looks like the one your mother got you when you were just a little baby. Unfortunately it got burned in the house fire so we couldn't scavenge it. But I coincidentally came across one that looked exactly the same in a thrift store," he explained.

"Thanks, Daddy." Emmy wrapped her arms around his waist, pressing her cheek against his hard stomach. John leaned over to press a kiss on top of her head as he rubbed her back.

"You're welcome, sweetie." He patted her back. "You're gonna name it?"

"Did Mom have a name for it?" she asked.

"Your mother used to call him Johnny cause she said we had the same dark eyes." John fondly rolled his eyes at the memory.

Emmy laughed. "He does have the same eyes as you." She pressed her nose against its soft neck. "He even smells like you," she added. "I think I'm gonna call him Johnny, too. That way I'll always have a part of you with me."

"I'd like that," he said quietly, his eyes beginning to water.

"Daddy, you okay?" Emmy sounded concerned.

"Yeah, I'm just – I'm fine, baby," her father cleared his throat, trying to compose himself. "C'mere, Emmy." He easily picked her up with his good arm.

Staring into her eyes, all he could see was Mary – the long eyelashes, the heart-shaped face, the full lips, the golden locks, the little grey flecks in her blue eyes – it was all Mary, _only_ Mary. It physically pained him knowing that he would never see her grow into the beautiful woman she would be. He understood that the deal he made would hurt her terribly. But John was convinced that his sons would take care of her, protect her like they have done the last year. Sam and Dean have shown him that they were capable of raising his little girl, he trusted them with his life … literally.

"Emmy, baby, I want you to know that you have always belonged to me. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. You were mine from the start and you always will be. Some people will try to prove differently but you don't have to listen to them. Just know that you're my baby girl and nothing will change that."

"Daddy what are you talking about?" she asked, as her eyes swept over her father's face. His eyes were glistening as if he was close to tears and it got her worried.

"You might not have my eyes or smile, but from that very first moment I saw you … you had my heart." John briefly closed his eyes, trying to keep his emotions in check before he opened them again. "Promise me you'll always remember that."

"D-daddy what's going on?"

"Emmy, just please, promise me," he practically begged, his voice thick with emotion.

"I-I promise," she whispered. "Daddy you're scaring me."

"It's okay to be scared, baby. Everyone is a little scared." John stroked her cheek. "It's the only way to be courageous, just don't let that fear control you or overpower your mind."

"Why are you saying all of this, Daddy?" Emmy's voice trembled.

John caught a single tear rolling down her cheek. He cupped the back of her neck, pulling her forehead against his. "Because I love you, Emmy. I love you so much and I want you to never forget that."

"I love you too, Daddy," Emmy sniffed.

John pressed a lingering kiss between her eyebrows, closing his eyes to remember her sweet scent, her smooth skin and soft hair. He reminded himself that he made the right choice. Anything was right in his own eyes as long as his children were alive and well. He always said he would die for them and it was either that or lose his son. Azazel had tried to sweeten the pot by trading Emmy or Sam but John would have none of that.

 _"_ _Over my dead body,"_ was all he had said … and the deal was sealed.

 ** _A/N: Hi everyone! First I'd like to thank each one of you for blowing up my inbox with all those follows/favorites/reviews. It means so much to me knowing that a lot of you have decided to read my second installment._**

 ** _So this was the first chapter and I know I haven't included the ending of the original episode, but I felt like this was the right moment to wind up this chapter. Don't worry, next chapter will include Emmy's reaction to seeing her father dying and I also added a little twist to the secret conversation between John and Dean at the end. You'll have to wait for next chapter to find out what ;)_**

 ** _I hope I didn't make you guys cry too much, this was pretty emotional for me to write. Also, don't put your tissues away just yet cause you'll need it for the next chapter(s) too :(_**

 ** _I also want to thank grapejuice101 for giving me the idea to include Gabriel. I hesitated between adding him or Azazel but I already have something else in mind for the demon in future chapters, that's why I picked our cheeky angel._**

 ** _Please tell me about your thoughts in a little review. Also, I'm still trying to get used to writing in third POV so let me know how I did on that._**

 ** _Next chapter: Everybody Loves a Clown – quick question: are you guys big fans of the Harvelle's or not? Just wanted to know …_**

 ** _Another big fat THANK YOU to all of you out there reading this. MWAH X!_**


	3. Everybody Loves a Clown pt1

**Disclaimer: Supernatural doesn't belong to me. I only own my character Mary-Elisabeth "Emmy" Winchester.**

Sam swore he was just starting to fall asleep when a bloodcurdling scream echoed through Bobby's house. He let out a long, exhausted sigh before he forced himself out of bed. He threw a look at the empty bed across the room and clenched his teeth in frustration but didn't let it get to him. After a week, he was used to his absent brother. Especially at nights. What Dean had been up to every single night since their father died, nobody knew. But Sam had an idea and it involved booze, women and more booze.

Sam's bare feet patted against the wooden floor as he made his way over to his baby sister's room who was currently suffering from another night terror. She had been having these nightmares for five nights on a row now and it was taking its toll on Sam. He couldn't blame her though, he remembered his sleepless nights after his mother and Jessica burned to the ceiling. Emmy had seen her father die in front of her eyes, that was enough to scar her for life. No one deserved seeing their parents die, no matter what age they are.

Bobby appeared at the top of the stairs, his hair in disarray and his eyes still heavy with sleep. "Want me to take her?" he offered, like he did every night.

Sam shook his head. "No, I'll do it." It was _his_ sister, _his_ responsibility. "Go back to bed, Bobby."

His surrogate uncle gave him one last look before he nodded. "Call me if you need me," he said before going back downstairs. Bobby knew not to argue with Sam, knowing the boy, he would come to him if he really needed help. But as long as Sam could handle it, he would do it on his own.

Sam pinched his eyes closed as he stood in front of Emmy's door. He could hear her sob violently, gasping for breath and crying for her Daddy. Every little sound she made cut like a knife in his already scarred heart. After hearing her so broken every night, it never got easier, in fact it was only getting harder.

He opened the door, finding her entangled in her sheets, limbs flailing helplessly. Her voice was hoarse and raspy, her hair was matted against her forehead, she was drenched in sweat and tears. Sam walked over to her and acted on automatic pilot. He unwrapped the sheets from around her, his hand instinctively grabbed her wrists to avoid another scratch on his face, before he lifted her up in his lap. He made sure to trap her legs and arms, trying to hold her as still as possible. Waking her up wasn't an option, something he had learned the hard way. His main priority was to first get her to calm down, eventually she'd wake up on her own.

There was something heartbreaking about having to restrain her against his body – he could feel her pain, the agony eating her up inside and Sam wished he could take it all away. He wished she would never have to endure this amount of pain and grief. She deserved to be happy, have anything her big heart desired and never should something bad happen to her. But Sam couldn't give her all that, the only he could do was hold her close and whisper false promises.

"Shh, it's alright now, Emmy. It's alright. I got you, honey, I got you," he kept mumbling against her ear, over and over again.

It took almost fifteen minutes before the wrecking sobs were finally subdued. There was the occasional sniff, hiccup and tremor going through her body, but other than that she was quiet now. Her even takes of breaths signaled him that she woke up from her nightmare. As predicted, he felt her small hands grip his t-shirt as if afraid he would leave. Sam had practically drilled it into her head a million times that he wasn't going anywhere. But fear made her clingy whether she wanted or not.

"S'mmy?" her voice was barely a whisper, her warm breath fanning against the skin of his neck.

"Yeah, honey?" He rubbed circles on her back, gently rocking her back and forth.

"'m sorry."

"Don't be sorry, Emmy." He kissed her on the temple. If anyone should be sorry it's him. She didn't deserve this torture. "Was it the same nightmare again?"

He felt the slight shake of her head against her shoulder. "W'ndigo."

Sam sighed. Every night she would dream about one of the cases they had been on in the past – the shape shifter, the vampires, the hook man, the demons, the Daeva's, etcetera. The only difference was that it was never the victims getting hurt or killed but their father. She would dream about John getting killed by these monsters every night in the most horrible and gruesome ways. This time it was the Wendigo murdering their father and Sam knew already enough not to ask her about it.

"Let's get you cleaned up, honey." He picked her up in his arms and did the usual rituals they have been doing the last week.

He took her to her bathroom and helped her out of her clothes. He wetted a washcloth and rubbed it over her, trying to get rid of the sweat and tears. Once he was finished, he changed her into one of his old t-shirts that came down to her knees and took her back into his arms. Instead of putting her back into her bed, he brought her downstairs to the living room where he would lay down with her on the couch with the television on in the background. It was the only way to get her back to sleep. And she needed that sleep, more than anything else.

Sam knew he couldn't take all the nightmares away and the pain, but he took it upon himself to make sure her basic and most important needs were fulfilled. That means sleeping, eating and talking. He had spent the first two days getting her to eat, the previous day was the first time she talked again, even though it was just words and not full sentences but it was a start. And now he was trying to get her to sleep without having nightmares.

It was hard, very hard. But Sam didn't mind, he would do anything for her, _anything._ He kind of already had experience when it came to dealing with losing someone you loved. Emmy never lost anyone she loved so much like her father and she yet had to find a way to deal with that. Her way of grieving was to close off, which reminded him of Dean. The only difference is that Dean searched a way to take his anger and hurt out on something or someone. While Emmy kept everything bottled up causing her feelings to surface through terrible night terrors. But either way, Sam wasn't going to let her down.

 **SPN**

It was the sound of water running and the smell of coffee that woke Sam up for the second time that day. He groaned, running a tired hand down his face. He could see a thin line of sunlight peeking out from under the curtains in the living room, signaling him that it was morning. Six in the morning to be exact, according to the old clock hanging on the wall. He couldn't feel anything in his left arm, the one Emmy used as a pillow. She was asleep, having no nightmares seeing as her face wasn't scrunched up but smooth like it was supposed to be. He carefully moved his arm from under her head, quickly replacing it with a pillow. When she didn't wake up, he sighed in relief. Now came the hardest part, releasing her fierce grip on his t-shirt. She moaned in her sleep, her hold tightening. Sam really didn't want to risk waking her up and did something he used to do when she was just a little baby. He swiftly worked his way out of his t-shirt and bundled the fabric against her. Emmy's face automatically hid in his t-shirt as she let out a contented sigh.

 _That was close,_ Sam thought before he quietly left the room, closing the door behind him. He made his way over to the kitchen, finding Dean at the counter with his back facing him. He was fixing himself a sandwich while the coffee maker brewed.

Without a word, Sam opened the fridge, grabbing some milk.

Dean turned around at the noise and eyed his brother up and down. "You look like crap warmed over."

Sam drank right from the bottle but didn't comment on his brother's remark. "Where were you last night?" he asked instead.

"Out," was Dean's only reply as he took a seat at the small kitchen table.

Sam took the opposite chair and stared at his brother who was trying his best to avoid eye contact. "She needs you Dean."

Dean groaned. "Not this again, Sam."

"You can't keep avoiding her," Sam stressed.

"I'm not avoiding her." Dean rolled his eyes. "I already told you, I need space. I can't give her what she wants when I'm still a mess. I need to sort myself out before I can even approach her."

"That's bull," Sam scoffed. "You don't need space, that's what you make yourself believe. You need to open up, talk. If not to me, then talk to someone else, I don't care who as long as you _talk_ about it."

Dean's tired eyes lifted up enough to look at his younger brother. "Don't tell me what to do, Sam."

"I'm just trying to help –"

"Well I don't need your help," Dean interrupted with a snap.

Sam was quiet, fiddling with the loose threads of the worn tablecloth. "Remember when Mom died? I was scared, confused and hurt. I had these terrible nightmares plaguing me every night. And you would stay up with me, talk me through it." Sam searched his brother's eyes. "You would always say, _Sam, talk to me_. You pushed me about it and it worked, Dean. It helped. Not only for me, but you too. And you know that."

Dean shook his head, biting the insides of his cheeks. "This isn't about Dad dying," he mumbled under his breath. He knew how to handle his old man's death. God only knew how many times he had to say goodbye to the people close to him, it was almost second nature to deal with the loss.

"What?" Sam asked.

"I said it's not Dad. It's something else … something I can't talk about."

The last words his father said were whispered to him, words he couldn't get out of his head. They kept whirling around, making him think too much, making him crazy. He wished his father would've never told him about Sam and Emmy. His siblings didn't realize that he was avoiding them because he couldn't look them in the eye, not with Johns voice ringing in his ears.

"Then what is it, Dean? Tell me. I can help, I can – "

"You don't understand Sam! There isn't anything you can do alright. So drop it already," he ordered through gritted teeth.

Sam huffed in disbelief. "You can't just sit there wallowing in self-pity and ask me to just watch and do nothing."

"I'm not _asking_ you anything, I'm _telling_ you to leave it alone," Dean corrected.

Sam crossed his arms over his bare chest, leaning back against his chair. "Okay fine, push me away. I don't care. But don't you dare shut off Emmy, Dean. She _needs_ you like I needed you when Mom and Jessica died."

Dean stared at the coffee in his hands, the darkness matching his mood. "She doesn't need me," he said softly. "She has you."

"Well I'm not enough," Sam reasoned simply. He sighed, running a hand through his messy hair. "Jesus Dean, she never had to deal with anyone dying up until a month ago. Now she had to say goodbye to three people she loved, and one of them is her own father. She practically worshipped him, Dad could never do wrong in her eyes, he was her world. And she has seen her world fall apart in front of her eyes. Literally."

Dean blinked. His face emotionless but Sam knew that was just his mask he was using.

"What do you want me to do, Sam? She's not talking – "

"Actually she is," Sam cut him off. "Since yesterday. She's not saying much but it's a start."

"Well it doesn't matter cuz I don't do talking," Dean instantly dismissed the option. "What do you even want me to say? Oh hey sweetheart, I feel your pain but what can you do about it? Life's just a joke and you're the punch line. The big man above just likes to see how many blows a person can take and before you know it, he screws you over, making you an orphan just for the hell of it cause no one ever said life was gonna be easy."

Sam glared at his brother, shooting daggers. "That was rude and totally uncalled-for."

"Look, I'm sorry alright," Dean let out an apologetic huff. "All I'm trying to say is that I'm not the right person to talk to, especially not with the crap leaving my mouth. I don't wanna hurt Emmy more than she already is."

Sam snorted a laugh, unamused. "Dean, you're already hurting Emmy by just ignoring her."

Dean's jaw ticked. "Well tell her it's not my intention alright."

"You tell her," Sam shot back. "You haven't said a word to her since we burned Dad. Hell you haven't even _looked_ at her. How do you think that makes her feel? She thinks you're mad at her, she thinks it's her fault Dad died."

"That's ridiculous," Dean said.

"Can you blame her? Especially with the way you're treating her," Sam argued. "Do you have any idea what she's going through every night? She screams and cries for hours, Dean. _Hours._ She's scared to death to fall asleep, the inside of her arms are black and blue from all the pinches she gives herself to stay awake. If you had been around instead of hitting anything that moves, you would've noticed."

Dean averted his eyes to the window where he could see the sun slowly rising, anything to avoid his brother's piercing glare. Every word Sam said was like a punch hitting him right in the face. The accusations Sam threw him were on point and Dean had nothing to say. He was guilty and he knew it. He wanted nothing more than grab that adorable little girl, hold her, kiss her and tell her that everything was going to be alright even if it was a lie. But he couldn't, not with his father's words still tormenting him.

"You done?" Dean stood up from the table. "Cause I got work to do." With that he left, slamming the door shut.

Sam slumped into his chair, dropping his head in his hands. He didn't hear someone else coming in, until he felt a small hand on his back. He looked up to find Emmy staring at him worriedly, his t-shirt bundled in her arms.

"I'm sorry, did we wake you up?" He pulled her between his legs, his arms circling her slender body.

She nodded tiredly. "Where is Dean?" She could've sworn she heard his voice.

"Uh, he just left." Sam didn't miss the disappointment flashing in her eyes.

Her finger lightly trailed a healing scar on his jaw. "Does he hate me?"

Her brother let out an exasperated sigh. "Emmy, how many times do I have to tell you, he doesn't hate you. I already explained this, he's just in a bad place right now and he's looking for a way to deal with everything that has happened. But it has nothing to do with you, alright?" He cupped her chin, tilting her head up until there was eye contact. "He doesn't hate you and it's not your fault," he told her firmly.

Emmy only nodded but didn't say anything else. Sam pulled her back against his chest, his hands rubbing her back up and down. Emmy rested her chin against his shoulder, relishing his warm touch. Her eyes swept over the unfinished sandwich on the table; a fried egg sandwich with ketchup – only Dean ate ketchup for breakfast.

Emmy missed her big brother, it had been days since he had spoken a word to her. Sometimes she'd catch him watching her when he thought she didn't notice. And every time she wondered what he was thinking as he looked at her, cause he would always leave afterwards and not come back until the wee hours of the morning.

At first she thought it was his way of dealing with their father's death. Maybe he wanted to approach her, sooth her, talk to her, but didn't know _how_. But that just didn't make any sense, because her brother was number one in knowing how to comfort her. He raised her, he was there from the very beginning. He knew how to handle her tears, he knew how to act around her, he knew exactly how to react to every little signal she sends. So for him to suddenly not know how to handle her was highly unlikely.

That only left one other option which was that he obviously hated her. That's the only explanation Emmy could think of. Her brother never _ever_ ignored her like that before. Not even when he's mad at her – which practically never happens since Dean couldn't for the life of him be mad at her. She figured he possibly blamed her for what happened to their father. The logical part in her young mind told her that she was being absurd. There was no way that her father dying was her fault. But the bigger part of her mind, the one that got steered by her insecurity and sorrow, told her that she was the cause of Dean being distant. And Emmy didn't see why she should believe otherwise unless her brother would talk to her and prove her differently. But he has not said anything to her face since their father passed away.

Emmy remembered giving the M&M's to Dean after she and her father had a heart to heart. She had paid no heed to his words back then, she thought he was just having those moments where he felt he needed to get something off his chest. It wasn't until she got back with Sam from getting coffee that she realized the true meaning of his words. Her father told her goodbye.

She'll never forget the sight of the doctors attempting to resuscitate their father. She'll never forget how they called it – _time of death: 10:41 pm.._ She'll never forget how at that moment when she caught Dean's eye, that something had changed. Emmy didn't know what had changed back then, but now she knew.

Dean changed.

She just wished she knew _what_ had changed him. Maybe then she could fix him and get her goofy but loving brother back.

 **SPN**

Two days passed when Bobby pulled up at his house in the morning, shutting off the loud engine of his rusty truck. He grabbed his stuff and got out of the car, walking over to the porch where he found Emmy reading a book with Rumsfeld sitting at her feet. She used one hand to turn the pages, while her other hand absently stroked the Rottweiler's fur.

"Hey darlin'."

Emmy startled, almost dropping her book. She looked up at the towering form standing in front of her, squinting her eyes from the blaring sun. She offered him a small smile, "Hi."

Bobby was surprised to hear her talk again after a week of silence. He was starting to miss her constant chatter and playful teasing. "Watcha got over there?" he asked, pointing at the book in her lap, hoping to engage her into a conversation.

Emmy showed him the cover with the title. "Harry Potter."

"I thought you already finished that one," Bobby commented. He already knew that she loved to read those books over and over again, but he wanted to hear her say it.

She shrugged her small shoulders and Bobby assumed it was the only answer he would get. That's until she opened her mouth.

"Because I like it."

"You lil' bookworm." The skin around his eyes wrinkled as he flashed a smile. "Are you brothers around?"

"Sammy's inside." She threw a thumb over her shoulder, pointing at the front door. "And I don't know where Dean is."

Bobby didn't fail to notice the hopelessness when she said the last sentence. He always remembered Emmy as the little sister who followed her big brother everywhere. If you were looking for her, just ask Dean. And if you were looking for Dean, just ask Emmy. Bobby used to call them shadows since the two never strayed too far from each other. So hearing her say that she didn't know where her brother was, was unusual.

He sighed. "Well, don't stay out too long in the sun." He ruffled her hair as he got up the stairs before getting inside the house.

He found Sam at the kitchen table where multiple cell phones were scattered around. Bobby greeted him, alerting him of his presence.

Sam looked up from one of the phones he was working on. "Hey."

"Watcha doing?" Bobby asked while putting some errands away.

"I'm trying to crack the code of Dad's phones."

"Why? You think you'll find something in there?" Bobby questioned as he opened the fridge for a bottle of beer.

"I hope so. We lost both Azazel and the Colt so I'll take any help I can get." Sam let out a tired sigh.

Bobby nodded in understanding, taking a seat at the table. "You find anything yet?"

"Not yet. Most of 'em have unread messaged or missed phone calls, but none of them are of use." Sam collected four phones and threw them back in the box.

"What about this one." Bobby pointed at an old Motorola flip phone. "He always had that one with him."

Sam opened it and huffed in irritation when the device demanded a password. He first tried the same code from the previous phones but it was obvious that his father used a different one for each phone.

"What's your brother been up to?"

Sam didn't bother looking up from punching the buttons. "Junkyard. As usual."

The two went quiet, sitting in a comfortable silence until Bobby spoke up. "Does your sister like rollerblades?"

Sam looked up, giving him a confused look. "What?"

"Rollerblades. The shoes with the wheels –"

"Yeah, I know what rollerblades are," Sam rolled his eyes. "Why would you wanna know if Emmy likes rollerblades?"

"Cuz I got her a pair," was Bobby's simple reply before he got up.

Sam, still puzzled, frowned. "Why?"

"Cuz it's a special occasion." Bobby stood up and walked up behind him. "You might wanna try today's date," he referred to the phone before he left the kitchen.

"Today's date?" Sam muttered under his breath as he punched in the numbers. To his surprise, the cell phone unlocked. That's when it dawned on him. "Crap." Sam dropped the phone, running his hands through his hair.

Emmy's birthday.

Today his little sister, who was only getting bigger, turned ten. He never forgot her birthday, not once and neither did Dean. He wondered if his brother forgot too. Hell, he wondered if even Emmy remembered. With everything that happened the last couple days, they were just too caught up with other stuff. Sam felt guilty. He hadn't even bought anything yet. He always got something for her, even when he was away at Stanford, he always made sure to send her a gift.

The phone chirped multiple times, receiving all the messages from past months. Sam skimmed through them but found nothing beneficial. He decided to listen to some voicemails, but got nothing interesting until he got one from a certain _Ellen Harvelle._ The message was almost four months old.

 _"_ _John, it's Ellen. Again. Look, don't be stubborn, you know I can help you. Call me."_

 **SPN**

Emmy wasn't really reading, although she did try, anything to get her mind off what today was. She didn't want to think of her birthday, she didn't want to think of the teddy bear she hid somewhere in her bedroom – because the sight of it hurt too much – she didn't want to be reminded of the fact that her father just passed away, not even having the chance to see her live to ten years. It was unfair. It was almost like she didn't even deserve to have parents. Everyone she knew had someone to call Mom and Dad, and she had no one to call that anymore.

She felt like everyone she knew or loved, left her at some point. Her mother, pastor Jim, Caleb and now her father. It wouldn't surprise her if Dean left her too, especially with the way he acted around her. Emmy still had no idea what his deal was, but it was clear to her that she was the problem since he didn't act the same way towards Sam and Bobby. Either way, Emmy gave up trying to reach her brother, he didn't need her. And if being away from her was what he wanted, then so be it. Emmy made herself believe that she didn't need him either … right? She could live without him … right?

The screen door behind her opened causing Rumsfeld to look up to see who it was before he laid back down. Heavy footsteps alerted her of her brother's presence, she could recognize Sam just by the way he walked. Emmy looked up from the page she'd been 'reading' for half an hour now. Her brother smiled down at her and she instantly detected something else in his eyes. Something akin to guilt, like he felt sorry for her. Lately that was his permanent look whenever he looked at her.

"Hey, honey. Wanna go check on the Impala?"

Emmy didn't fail to notice how Sam didn't ask if she wanted to go see their brother, knowing all too well that her answer would've been _no._ If her brother didn't do any effort into seeing her, then she won't either. Both could play that game. Still she couldn't ignore that nagging feeling, the one that hunkered to see her brother. And with seeing her brother, she meant _just seeing_ her brother. She didn't plan on talking to him, or anything that gave him a tiny bit of attention. He didn't deserve it anyway, not when all he did was avoid her.

"My shoes are still inside." She wriggled her bare toes.

Sam didn't say anything and crouched in front of her with his back facing her. "Hop on."

 **SPN**

Dean wiped away a trail of sweat on his forehead with the back of his hand, leaving a trail of oil instead. He rummaged through the toolbox, looking for the right wrench when his eyes caught something in the distance. Sam was walking in his direction, carrying a blonde bundle on his back. His brother's lips were moving but he couldn't make out what he was saying, but it must be something funny because he didn't miss the grin on his sister's face. The sound of her giggle caused him heartache, the kind of pure anguish and regret.

Sam's voice got louder and Dean quickly got back underneath the Impala, his legs sticking out. It wasn't long before he could hear his brother's footsteps and him asking how the car was coming along.

"Slow," Dean answered, his voice muffled.

Sam put Emmy down on the hood of another car. "Yeah? You need any help?"

Dean scoffed. "What, you under a hood? I'll pass."

"Need anything else, then?" Sam asked, leaning on the hood next to Emmy.

Dean pushed himself out from under the Impala and got on his feet. "Stop it, Sam." He wiped his hands on his pants while he looked for the dirty old rag.

"Stop what?" Sam pretended he was oblivious.

Dean rolled his eyes, he could read his brother like a book. "Stop asking if I need anything, stop asking if I'm okay. I'm okay. Really. I promise," he said as he still looked for the rag.

Emmy noticed how her brother hadn't once looked her way, and she would be lying if she said it didn't hurt. She noticed a cloth, coated in oil, behind her on the hood. Dean stopped looking around when her hand stretched out to him, holding the rag. He took it with a quick thanks but not before his eyes swept over the bruises on the inside of her arms. Dean's jaw clenched at the realization that his brother was talking the truth. Not that Sam would lie to him about something like that but Dean had not believed it at first … until now. He had the sudden urge to grab her and simply take care of her. It was against his nature to hold back and leave it to someone else to deal with.

Sam let out a heavy sigh, tucking his hands in his pockets. "All right, Dean, it's just we've been at Bobby's for over a week now and you still haven't talked about what's going on with you." Sam remembered Dean's words when he said that their Dad wasn't the issue and he was dying to know what did had his brother acting like he was.

Dean threw the rag away. "You know what? You're right. Come here. I'm gonna lay my head gently on your shoulder. Maybe we can cry, hug, and maybe even slow dance." Even though he knew that his brother only had good intentions, Dean still couldn't help but mock him. When he felt conflicted inside, he didn't have control over the words coming out of his mouth.

"Don't patronize me, Dean. Dad is dead," Sam snapped. "The Colt is gone, and it seems pretty damn likely that the demon is behind all of this, and you're acting like nothing happened."

"What do you want me to say?" Dean's quiet voice proved he was tired of it all.

"I already told you to talk! Say something, all right? Hell, say anything!" Sam sounded exasperated. "Aren't you angry? Don't you want revenge?" he demanded. "But all you do is sit out here all day long buried underneath this damn car."

Dean licked his lips. "Revenge, huh?"

"Yeah," Sam breathed.

"Sounds good," Dean nodded. He crossed his arms over his chest, taking a step closer to Sam. "You got any leads on where the demon is? Making heads or tails of any of Dad's research? Because I sure ain't. But you know, if we do finally find it - oh. No, wait, like you said. The Colt's gone. But I'm sure you've figured out another way to kill it." Sam's eyes narrowed in frustration but Dean didn't take it as a sign to stop his rant. "We've got nothing, Sam. Nothing, okay? So you know the only thing I can do? Is I can work on the car."

Sam watched as his brother got back to work. "Well, we've got something, all right?" He pulled out their father's cell phone, handing it over to Dean. "It's what I came by here to tell you. This is one of dad's old phones. Took me a while, but I cracked his voicemail code. Listen to it." Dean stood and took it reluctantly. "I ran a trace on her phone number and I got an address. I'll ask Bobby if we can use a car." With that Sam left, leaving Dean to listen to the voice mail.

"Why would Dad save this chick's message for months?" he mumbled to himself, not noticing his sister's presence behind his back.

Emmy cleared her throat, causing Dean to turn around. He thought Sam had taken her back with him but he apparently didn't. Dean was sure he did it on purpose.

 _Nice try, Sammy. Nice try._

"I forgot my shoes," Emmy pointed out softly. For the first time since she had arrived, her brother finally made eye contact. Something that shouldn't make her feel nervous at all, but she couldn't help it. She walked on eggshells around him, afraid she would set him off or something, because in her mind he was mad at her – not knowing that her brother wasn't blaming her at all.

Dean was angry at his father, angry for the stuff he kept from him. He had no right to keep those secrets and then decide drop it like a bomb. Dean already had his shoulders full with the burdens he carried daily, he had no strength for more responsibility and stress. He tried taking his anger out on something else, the reason why he was working nonstop on the Impala and hit the bars every night. Making Emmy feel guilty was the last thing he wanted to do. But he realized that the damage was already done and with the way he acted around her, he only made things worse.

Emmy mistook his lack of reaction for being dismissed – ignored was what it really was but dismissed sounded better to her. She slowly slid off the car's hood, careful of where she was walking.

Dean snapped out of his reverie and jumped into action. "Hey, come on. I'll take you inside."

His sister's blue eyes widened in surprise. He didn't know if it was because of his offer or the fact that he probably just said the longest sentence to her since the day they lost their father.

"I-It's okay." She wasn't used declining Dean. Normally she would've demanded him to carry her on his shoulders so she could be taller and see his point of view. Dean would have laughed and let her cover his eyes so she could guide him. He never told her that he could still see between her fingers, letting her believe that she was taking the lead.

"There's glass and other stuff you can hurt yourself with." Dean wiped his hands off one last time before he walked over to her. "Let's go." He hoisted her up onto his shoulders with ease, feeling her small hands automatically wrap around his forehead.

Dean knew he missed her, but he never knew how much he missed the physical contact until now. Having her on his shoulders, it was as if she pushed away the heavy mental weight. It made him think that maybe instead of avoiding her, keeping her close was exactly what he needed to do. He had been doing the opposite the entire time, not knowing that she was the solution to how torn he felt inside. She was the cure to his pain. And little did he know that he was the cure to hers.

 **SPN**

Sam looked up when he heard footsteps coming his way. Dean, with Emmy on his shoulders, glared at him with narrowed eyes. Sam's only response was to smirk. He knew his brother was probably annoyed for having left their baby sister with him. But in Sam's defense, Dean had it coming – if he didn't take the first step, then Sam was more than happy to do the honor. He did notice they weren't talking or anything, but that wasn't Sam's goal anyway. He just wanted them to be alone together, even if it was just for ten minutes, it was worth it. He hoped it would improve the uneasiness between them.

"You've got to be kidding me," Dean groaned once his eyes caught the beat-up minivan Sam was leaning against.

"It's the only car Bobby had running." Sam patted the roof.

Dean reached up and effortlessly put Emmy back down. He tried to ignore how she instantly moved to Sam's side, who automatically put an arm around her shoulders.

"Do I look like a soccer mom to you?" Dean looked at the metal wreck in pure disgust. He absolutely didn't want to be seen in that car, not even if his life depended on it.

Emmy tugged at Sam's sleeve, gesturing for him to get down to her level. "Are you guys gonna leave?" she almost whispered.

"We'll just be gone for a few hours, honey," he said as he adjusted the hairclip hanging from her hair.

"Can I come with you?"

Sam sighed, exchanging a look with Dean who had been pretending to check the car out while he really was listening to the conversation he apparently wasn't part of. He didn't like how she clung to Sam or how she talked to him, _only_ him, as if he wasn't there. Dean didn't know if she was trying to give him a taste of his own medicine or if she was simply picking Sam over him – either way, he didn't like it. He was always the first one she came to, since she was practically a baby. It had always been like that, first Dean then Sam. Now the roles were reversed, and Dean felt uncomfortable and slightly threatened because he lost his position. But then again, it was his fault. He shouldn't have acted like someone who didn't deserve that first place.

"We don't know who we're dealing with yet, honey. We're only gonna check this woman out and if it's safe, you can come with us the next time," Sam suggested. "Watcha think?"

Emmy was hesitant but still shrugged unconvincingly. "I just don't want you to go." Last time her brothers left without her, they got into an accident. She wasn't about to risk that again, she wouldn't be able to handle that. Emmy wanted her brothers close, she would be devastated if anything happened to them again. She already lost enough people.

"Don't worry, Emmy. We'll be back before you know it." Sam drew her closer so he could whisper in her ear, "I haven't forgotten about your special day. I promise we'll get you something when we're back."

"I don't want anything."

"Honey, don't say that. It's your birthday, we have to celebrate it," Sam reasoned.

Emmy nibbled on her bottom lip. She quieted for a few seconds before speaking up, "Can we maybe celebrate it another day?"

 _It's too soon_ , Sam thought. He completely understood her. He wasn't really in the mood either and he wanted her to have a fun birthday, not one where everyone pretended all was well and good.

"That's fine by me. Whatever you want, honey. We can put it off until you feel it's the right moment."

She flashed him a small smile. "Thanks."

"You might wanna tell Bobby, cause I heard he already got you something." Sam winked. Emmy's eyes twinkled a little in curiousness and Sam chuckled lightly. "Go check it out and spare him the trouble of trying to wrap it up. We all know he sucks at that."

She grinned and Sam was momentarily happy to see her smile a _real,_ genuine smile. He missed it.

"When will you be back?" she asked.

"I'll try to make it in time for dinner," he promised.

"Hey ladies, need some coffee to talk over?" Dean patted the hood, catching his siblings' attention. He had enough of the conversation that didn't include him. He knew Sam and Emmy were close, but he and his little sister were closer. He couldn't stand being on the sidelines. Dean got it in the car, the leather seat squeaked and the dashboard doll swung her hips with a hula hoop. He caught his brother saying something to his sister in the rearview mirror. Emmy nodded at whatever Sam said before pecking his cheek. She casted one last look at the minivan and Dean caught her hesitance. As if changing her mind, she shook her head and turned the other way.

 **SPN**

" _What was that_!" Bobby yelled from his study.

Emmy eyed the broken pieces of glass that once belonged to a beautiful long vase on the coffee table. She had been practicing on her new roller-skates and might have been a little too wild. She had promised Bobby to be careful and to avoid the furniture, but there was something exceptionally fun about twirling in circles around the table. That's until the vase tumbled and the fun had ended.

"What's goin' on in here?" Bobby demanded, appearing in the living room.

Emmy turned around, putting on her innocent mask. She pointed at the oblivious dog, lying peacefully on the carpet. "He did it."

"What the hell is that dog doin' inside?"

"I don't know." Emmy shrugged her small shoulders. "He just came in."

"Oh really?" Bobby crossed his arms over his chest in a confronting way. "How?"

Emmy fiddled with the hem of her t-shirt. "Uhm, through the door."

"So you're sayin' he unlocked the door, walked in and closed it with his tail."

"Or maybe I forgot to close the door," she suggested.

Bobby cocked an eyebrow. "Or maybe you took him inside?"

Emmy's eyes slid to her roller-skates which suddenly looked interesting. "Maybe."

Bobby shook his head, trying not to laugh. He wasn't going to lie, he had been soft on her these last couple days. He let her get away with things he would never allow, such as the TV in her bedroom, roller-skating inside the house, playing in the junkyard, reading books about supernatural creatures and even letting her help clean his guns. But deep inside, Bobby didn't mind. All he has been doing is trying to keep her busy. It seemed that as long as she was doing something, it helped her get things off her mind. She didn't look like she was dealing with her father's death, in fact she acted pretty normal, especially since she decided to talk again. It was at nights that her real emotions surfaced through night terrors. It looked like everything she managed to bottle up or hide during the day, came out at night.

"I'll take him back outside if you want," Emmy offered, bringing him out of his train of thoughts.

Bobby stared into those big, baby blues and already felt the strictness he tried to maintain melt. One look at that cute face and he was all mushy inside.

"It's okay," he relented. "But only today. And clean the mess up, will ya?"

"Thanks uncle Bobby." Emmy roller-skated her way to him, wrapping her arms around his waist in a quick hug before running off upstairs with Rumsfeld on her heels.

Bobby smiled until he caught the broken vase she didn't clean up. "Little rascal got me again," he grumbled, moving to pick up the pieces.

 **SPN**

Emmy entered her room, almost tripping over her pants lying on the floor. She picked it up and noticed that the whole room was a mess. She heaved a big sigh before dropping to the floor. She started cleaning up her stuff when something under her bed got her attention. Two dark teddy bear eyes stared back at her. Emmy swallowed thickly.

The first thing she did when they came back from burning her father, was hiding that teddy bear. She couldn't bear looking at the stuffed animal without busting into tears. The plush toy, _Johnnie,_ reminded her of the person she tried not to think about. The eyes, the scent, and even the name, screamed John and it physically hurt whenever she remembered her father was gone.

She took the brown bear and stuffed it in a box, high up on her shelf. The thing only made her miserable, and she was already feeling bad enough. The fact that today was her birthday, and that her father was supposed to be there, and give her his gift _now_ instead of the day he died, did nothing to ease the heartache.

Getting her mind off her father was her only goal during the day. When she was awake she could control the thoughts clogging up her brains. She could determine what could enter her mind and what not. And it worked, as long as she had something to do. But as soon as night comes, she loses the upper hand and the nightmares arise.

Emmy had had to deal with nightmares in the past, they weren't unfamiliar to her, she even knew how to deal with them – music and Dean. But these nightmares were something else, they were livid and literally sucked the breath out of her longs. They left her drained, terrified and exhausted – mentally and physically. She'd never experienced anything like that before and that only scared her more, to the point she'd hurt herself to stay up. Sleeping two to three hours a night was taking its toll on her body that was used to at least eight hours a night. Emmy had no energy to play the whole day, she couldn't keep up, it was too tiring. As soon as the clock strikes five, she'd start fighting the battle against sleep.

Emmy never won though and always found herself waking up in cold sweat from another horrible nightmare. Every night was the same, and it never got better. Nothing worked either. Her iPod was useless, so was sleeping next to Sam. It seemed like those dreams infected her brains and she couldn't find the cure. The only hope she got, is crossing her fingers and wishing it will all get better in time.

" _Emmy we're back!_ " Sam suddenly called out from downstairs.

She quickly gathered her dirty clothes and threw them in her hamper. It wasn't until she walked in front of the mirror that she caught sight of her red rimmed eyes and tears streaming down her cheeks. She quickly wiped them away with her sleeve, sniffing, trying to conceal them. She was surprised she even had tears left in her system after all the crying she did. She was sick of it though and refused to cry openly in front of anyone. Except when she awakens from the nightmares, that's the only time her dreams had control over the tear ducts and not her. She made sure every trail was gone before she got down.

 **SPN**

With Emmy snuggled up next to him, the TV providing the only light in the dark living room and the comfortable couch, Sam was sure he was about to fall asleep too. It took him two hours to get his sister to sleep. He had to hold onto her hands to stop her from pinching herself. It resulted into a fuss but it didn't take long before she ceded.

"You found anything?"

"Shh!" Sam admonished Dean who hadn't noticed their sister sleeping until he walked closer.

Adjusting the laptop on his lap, Sam froze when Emmy moaned in her sleep. Her face scrunched up and Sam held his breathe, hoping she wouldn't wake up. Her face smoothed after a couple seconds and he let out a breath in relief when she got back to sleep.

Dean threw his hands up in surrender and quietly moved to sit on the couch at his brother's feet. "So did you find anything?" he whispered, referring to the case they got from Ellen.

Sam turned his laptop, showing him the screen with the research he found.

Dean's eyed widened in disbelief at seeing the image of what appeared to be an evil clown, and not the kind of funny clown that made kids laugh. "You've gotta be kidding me. A killer clown?"

"Yeah." Sam turned the laptop back. "He left the daughter unharmed and killed the parents. Ripped them to pieces, actually."

Dean leaned back against the couch. "And this family was at some carnival that night?"

"Right, right." Sam's eyes swept over the article. "The, uh, Cooper Carnivals."

"So how do you know we're not dealing with some psycho carnie in a clown suit?" Dean asked.

Sam tiredly scratched the nape of his neck, stretching a muscle. "Well, the cops have no viable leads, and all the employees were tearing down shop. Alibis all around. Plus this girl said she saw a clown vanish into thin air. Cops are saying trauma, of course."

Dean went silent for several seconds when a thought suddenly came to mind. He chuckled quietly, earning a weird look from his brother. "Well, I know what you're thinking, Sam. Why did it have to be clowns?"

Sam rolled his eyes. "Oh, give me a break."

"You didn't think I'd remember, did you?" Dean laughed softly as to not wake Emmy up. "I mean, come on, you still bust out crying whenever you see Ronald McDonald on the television. Emmy used to try to scare you with that clown nose she won at a fun fair."

"Well, at least I'm not afraid of flying."

Dean's smile dropped in less than a second. "Planes crash!" he whispered in defense.

"And apparently clowns kill!" Sam replied.

"So these types of murders," Dean quickly changed the subject, "they ever happen before?"

Sam scrolled through the document he found. "Uh, according to the file, 1981, the Bunker Brothers Circus, same M.O. It happened three times, three different locales."

"It's weird, though," Dean frowned, "I mean if it is a spirit it's usually bound to a specific locale, you know, a house, or a town."

Sam's eyes narrowed in thought. "So how's this one moving from city to city, carnival to carnival?" he wondered out loud.

"Cursed object, maybe," Dean suggested. "Spirit attaches itself to something and the, uh, carnival carries it around with them."

"Great." Sam huffed. "Paranormal scavenger hunt," he said with no enthusiasm.

"Well, this case was your idea," Dean pointed out. "By the way, why is that? You were awfully quick to jump on this job."

Sam shrugged. "So?"

Dean lifted up his shoulders. "It's just ... not like you, that's all. I thought you were hell-bent for leather on the demon hunt."

"I don't know, I just think this job … " Sam trailed, one of his hands absently combing through Emmy's hair, "It's what Dad would have wanted us to do."

Dean's eyes fell on his baby sister's sleeping form when she stirred at their brother's touch. "What Dad would have wanted?"

"Yeah." Sam twirled a blonde lock between his fingers. "So?" he asked again with an almost challenging tone.

"Nothing," Dean replied without taking his eyes off his sister.

"You wanna take her to her room?"

"Why don't you do it?" Dean shot his brother a questioning look.

"Cuz I'm busy," Sam said in a duh-tone, pointing at his laptop.

Dean held his brother's gaze for several seconds longer. This was the second time Sam tried to involve him with Emmy. "Don't try to pretend you don't know what you're doing, cuz I got you all figured out."

Sam snorted. "What's that even supposed to mean?"

"You know damn well what I'm talking about." Dean stood up and carefully picked Emmy up. Her head nestled against his shoulder and she briefly brushed her nose against his t-shirt, something she always did in her sleep. He felt her arms automatically circle his neck as she let out a sleepy sigh.

"Don't forget to put some of that cream on her arms, it'll help against the bruises," Sam called after him. "And don't close the door," he added. "Also, don't draw the curtains and leave her nightlight on." When Dean reached the top of the stairs, he quickly added, "Don't cover her with the duvet, it's too hot, she'll only kick it away. Just use the blanket. Oh, and leave some water – "

"Sam!" Dean cut him off. "I've been putting her to bed since she was four months old for crying out loud. I don't need your instructions."

"Sorry," Sam apologized sheepishly.

Dean's only reply was to turn his back on his brother and climb on the stairs. "He tucks her in for a week and already thinks he can show me the ropes," Dean muttered under his breath in irritation.

He carefully put Emmy in her bed, making sure she was comfortable and tucked in. He took the bobby pins from her hair, his fingers stroking the soft strands. He took the tube with ointment and proceeded to gently rub it over the insides of her arms. Looking closely, he could see the imprints of her short nails. Some of them were so deep, they had drawn blood and left little scars behind. It pained Dean to see that she hurt herself in order to avoid those nightmares.

He had no idea how bad they were since he was never there to witness them. Sam had informed him more than once but Dean always thought his brother exaggerated. But seeing the bruises made him realize that he had it wrong big time, and that only added up to the guilt he already carried around.

He brushed the bangs from her face, his hand lingering on her cheek. Dean couldn't help but wonder if all of the pain she carried inside was partly his fault. Their father dying was hard on them, but she probably took it the hardest. It was the harsh truth but Sam and Dean were familiar with the grieving process, they had already lost a parent once. And Dean was ashamed to admit that his father's death was less difficult for him to deal with. He almost couldn't remember the way his father used to be, he had lost him the day he lost his mother. From that moment on, John was another man, he was another father, one that was so consumed with rage and getting revenge. Dean and Sam had already said goodbye to their 'old' father back then, that's why this goodbye was easier for them.

Dean trailed his finger down the bridge of Emmy's freckled nose. She never got to know the 'old' John, she only knew the 'new' John, the one who was a hunter. She accepted their father the way he was, with his flaws and all. When he made a mistake, she offered a clean slate. When he did something wrong, she turned the other cheek. When he hurt her, she forgave him. All of that, not because she was weak or had no backbone. No, it was because she loved him to the point she was practically blinded to see his imperfections. And even though Dean was the one who raised her, John was still her father, her Daddy. Emmy realized that she had already lost one parent, a mother she never even knew. That's the reason she clung onto her father. She was a good girl, never did anything wrong in his eyes because she was too scared to be rejected. To lose him too.

And in the end, she did.

Dean felt it was his job to fill that gap in her life. He already carried almost all the responsibilities when it came to his baby sister, but now he wanted to take _full_ responsibility. He didn't want her to come short or miss something in her life. He'd take it upon himself to bring up his sister to a wonderful, beautiful and intelligent woman. He might need his brother's help with it, but Dean was willing to do whatever it took to give her the best life he could provide. The promise he made wasn't going to be a walk in the park, that much he realized. But Dean was never one to back down when life set up obstacles, he'll take them like the tough man he was.

Emmy moaned in her sleep, her eyebrows bunched together while she slowly turned her head from side to side. Dean cupped her cheek, his thumb brushing her eyebrow.

"Shh," he whispered, kneeling on the floor next to her bed. "It's okay sweetheart, it's okay," he soothed.

A whimper escaped between her lips, her small body writhing in bed, twisting the sheets in the process. Dean stroked her arm up and down, trying to calm her down but it didn't seem to work. He could see her eyes moving under her eyelids, her hands fisting the blanket. Dean moved close to her ear, whispering sweet nothings while he stroked her forehead, trying to smooth the lines. Out of nowhere her hand suddenly shot out, her nail catching him right above his eyebrow, barely missing his eyes. Dean winced and instantly grabbed her wrists in his hand. That didn't look like a good idea because she instantly starting kicking with her feet.

"No, no, no," she cried in her sleep. "D'ddy," she rasped.

"It's alright, baby. You're just dreaming."

But she only got worse as she started struggling against his hold, her skin clammy from the sweat and her voice raised. "Daddy no!" she wailed, tears rolling down her cheeks from her closed eyes.

Dean jumped into action and got in bed, pulling her into his lap. He cradled her like a baby, trapping her hands to stop her from hurting herself. Rocking her back and forth for ten minutes, while repeatedly kissing the top of her head, she slowly calmed down in his hold. Dean didn't stop rocking her and kept whispering into her ear.

"I got you, sweetheart. I'm right here. Not going anywhere," he repeated the words until she was limp in his arms. Dean watched her peaceful face as he wiped away the tears from her cheeks. God, how he had missed that pretty face. He wished he could kick himself where the sun didn't shine repeatedly for having abandoned her like that. He thought of his father's words and realized that he had dealt with it the wrong way. He took his anger out on her while he was mad at his dad. He pushed _her_ away while he had to do the opposite. He just hoped she would forgive him one day.

Sam, having heard his sister's cries, stood quietly at the door, hidden in the darkness. He watched his older brother leaning against the headboard with the covers pulled over him and Emmy. Dean seemed to be content just watching their sleeping sister's face as he occasionally dropped a kiss on her face or stroked a strand of hair. Sam smiled sadly, happy the two found each other. Well it was more Dean who found Emmy, but Sam was sure that it would only be a matter of time before his sister would accept Dean with open arms. She needed her brother as much as Dean needed her. Sam threw his siblings one last look before he got to his own room, knowing that it would be the first night he'll get some much needed sleep.

Dean closed his eyes and tiredly dropped his forehead on Emmy's temple. He kissed her goodnight but not before whispering, "Happy birthday, cutie pie."

 _ **A/N: HIIIIIIIIIIIIIII! First of all, sorry for the long wait. Don't blame me, blame my job, my friends and the exotic southern French beaches for keeping me occupied.**_

 _ **So believe it or not, but this episode contains more than twenty thousand words, and I haven't even finished it yet. I had to split it since it was getting too long. As you may have noticed, this chapter is mostly AU. I felt like I couldn't go through this episode without first writing about Emmy's (and her brothers') thougts and feeling. I think it's very important to show you how they're dealing individually with their father's death. So that's mainly the reason why this chapter is so long. I don't like rushing into things if you haven't noticed yet :p**_

 _ **Anyway, tell me what you thought of this update. Do you guys have an idea what John might have said to Dean about Emmy? I'm planning on revealing a little more in the next chapter. But I have to be honest with you guys, I have dropped some hints in Be(lie)ve, more than one ;)**_

 _ **Also, lately I get a lot of questions from readers asking me if I have a tumblr or that I should make one. So I wanted to know from you beautiful people what your wishes are. I put a poll on my page, so if you want make sure you vote!**_

 _ **Thanks for all the lovely reviews and pm's and follows and favorites and reads :D**_


	4. Everybody Loves a Clown pt2

**Disclaimer: I only own my original character, Mary-Elisabeth "Emmy" Winchester.**

It was half past ten when Sam made his way over to the kitchen, barefoot. He found Bobby at the stove, working on something that smelled like scrambled eggs but looked nothing like it. The older hunter turned around when he heard the sound of someone sauntering in.

"Look what the cat dragged in."

"Good morning," Sam greeted with a cheerful smile.

"You look chipper," Bobby noted.

Sam huffed a laugh. "A good night's sleep will do that to you."

"I take it that it was the first nightmare-free night?"

Sam watched as Bobby set the table. "Yeah. I woke up in the middle of the night to check on her a couple times, but she was sleeping like a log."

"Well that will do her some good. The kiddo prolly needs it more than any of us." Bobby took a seat, leaning back against his chair with a bottle of beer in his hand that he drank like water. "Where's that imp you call brother? I didn't hear him goin' out nor comin' in for that matter."

"That's cuz he never left," Sam said, causing Bobby to cock an eyebrow in surprise. "He's upstairs with Emmy. It looks like she wasn't the only one who suffered from lack of sleep."

"That explains the dead air," Bobby grumbled.

Sam chuckled with a shake of his head.

"That reminds me," Bobby adjusted his hat, "school called. Emmy hasn't been turnin' in her latest assignments. You're gonna have to help her get back on track before she lags behind."

"God, I totally forgot about that," Sam groaned, running a hand through his disheveled hair.

"Don't worry about it boy. Told 'em about her father passing away and they decided to extend the deadline for another two months."

Sam sighed with relief. "Bobby you're a life saver." The last thing Sam wanted was for his sister to fall behind on schoolwork. The past ordeals already affected her enough. "I'll get on it as soon as possible."

Bobby stood up, his chair scraping against the wooden floor. "I got you something else too." He disappeared into his study for a full minute before coming back with a silver necklace. "Fixed it."

"Thanks Bobby." Sam accepted the chain with the butterfly dangling off it. "Emmy'll be ecstatic."

"Anything to bring some joy into that little girl's life." Bobby patted the Winchester on his shoulder.

 **SPN**

Emmy moaned as she stirred, waking up slowly. Her small fists worked to rub the sleep from her eyes. She blinked several times, trying to get used to the soft glow of sunlight seeping in from under the curtains. She was a little disoriented, not used to awakening before the morning sun was up. Her eyes squinted, focusing on the clock hanging on the wall. Ten after eleven. That couldn't be right. She wiped her eyes some more, clearing her vision but the hands of the clock didn't budge. Emmy couldn't believe it. She turned to her other side, startling when she came face to face with her sleeping brother.

 _When did he get here?_ was the first question popping into her head.

She tried to think back to the previous night but only remembered falling asleep on the couch next to Sam. She couldn't recall getting in her bed nor could she recall Dean climbing in next to her. What made everything stranger was the fact that she didn't wake up in cold sweat or tears. There wasn't the fresh memory of her latest nightmare imprinted in her mind. Emmy wasn't even sure if she even had a nightmare.

She felt rested for the first time in what felt like ages. And by the looks of it, she wasn't the only one suffering from sleep deprivation. Her brother was dead to the world. The slightest movement would've normally already woken him up, but he was deep asleep. That was enough for her to know that he really was worn out.

Emmy watched her brother sleep peacefully, the worry lines were smooth for once and his posture wasn't tense like he was in constant fight-flight modus. She felt bad for him, he obviously had been carrying around some heavy stuff. Whatever it was, it must've been pretty bad or he wouldn't have ignored her for more than a week. Emmy wished he would talk to her about it, but Dean didn't talk about his feelings, not to her, not to anyone. It was hypocritical from his part since he always forced her to tell him whatever was on her mind. Dean didn't like it when she held stuff from him, but God only knows how many things he kept secret from her. It was unfair and a reason to remind Emmy why she was mad at him to begin with.

A relationship is built on trust, mutual trust. But with Dean, it wasn't two sided. She trusted him with her life, but Emmy wasn't sure if it was reciprocal. He was the oldest, she was the youngest. He was the man, she was just the little girl. He was the leader she was the follower. He was _Dean frikkin Winchester_ and she was … she was Emmy aka the baby of the family. It made her feel like she was somehow less important, like she wasn't taken serious because she was just a child. Emmy wondered if that's why Dean couldn't talk to her, because she wasn't mature enough, because she wasn't part of the grown people yet.

She wanted him to know that age was just a number, she wasn't like any other ten year old. She'd seen stuff, gone through unimaginable things that no kid of any age should even dream of. But at the end of the day, she handled it. It was never easy getting over seeing someone kill, getting killed or kill himself – but she got over it … eventually. So whatever's been tormenting Dean, he could tell her, because she could handle it.

She already let her father walk all over her, and she learned from her mistakes. If Dean wanted her forgiveness, he better work for it by showing his trust for once. Emmy wanted him to trust her like she trusted him, she wanted him to confide in her like she confided in him. And if he could do that, explain the reasons for his actions, and not look at her like she was some fragile, innocent china doll that could break any second, then she would welcome him with open arms.

"Mornin'," a gruff voice heavy with sleep, snapped her out her train of thoughts.

Emmy was met by Dean's green eyes staring back at her. A warm feeling ran through her at seeing those familiar eyes, reflecting her brother's dedication, bravery and love. A look she had missed the last several days.

"Good morning," she whispered when she caught something on Dean's left eyebrow. A small cut that reminded her of the same one Sam had. And Emmy didn't have to ask how it got there because she already knew. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay." Dean stroked her hair from her face, his thumb brushing her soft chin. "Did you sleep well?"

She nodded. "Better." _A lot better._

"Good." Dean offered her a small smile. "Can't believe I slept in. I haven't gotten more than four hours at a stretch since – since, I don't even remember since when. That's how long it's been. I can't even remember … "

Emmy blocked her brother's voice. The only thing she could think of was when did he start talking to her again? She felt like she missed something. Was everything good between them? When did they even reconcile? Emmy couldn't remember.

"Why?" she suddenly interrupted him.

Dean stopped midsentence. "What?"

"Why?" Emmy repeated.

"Why _what_?" Dean asked confused.

"Why talk to me now like you haven't been ignoring me for more than a week?" she confronted.

 _Ouch,_ Dean thought. "I-it's complicated, sweetheart."

"Then explain it to me."

Dean raised his eyebrows at her firmness. He wasn't used to this side. "I can't."

"What do you mean you can't?" Emmy questioned. "How hard is it to just tell me why you've been neglecting me for nine days?"

"I wasn't neglecting you, Emmy," Dean corrected her.

"Yes you were." His sister scoffed. "You were giving me the cold shoulder, paid no mind to what I was going through and then suddenly out of nowhere, I wake up with you lying in my bed, talking to me like nothing ever happened."

Dean rubbed his forehead with a tired sigh. "I am really sorry –"

"I don't want your apology!" she cut him off angrily. She sat up, leaning against the headboard. "I just wanna know _why_. Is that too much to ask?"

Dean mimicked her movements and sat up too. "It's not that I don't wanna tell you, it's just that I can't." He cupped her cheek gently, leaning in closer. "You're better off not knowing, sweetheart. Trust me."

Emmy twisted her face away from his grasp, ignoring the hurt flashing in her brother's eyes.

"Emmy, I only want to protect you," Dean reasoned.

"I'm ten now," she pointed out. "Stop treating me like I'm five. Whatever it is you don't wanna tell me, I can handle it."

Dean felt a tinge of pride at her self-confidence and spunk. She was his baby sister alright. That's when the harsh truth brought him back to why he acted the way he did towards her in the first place, and he remembered the reason he couldn't tell her about it.

"I wish I could, sweetheart. I really do. But," Dean looked at her apologetically, "I just can't, Emmy."

"But just tell me," she almost begged. "Did I do something wrong? Are you mad at me? Does Dad have something to do with it? You think it's my fault he died? Are you holding me responsible for –"

" _No_. No, no, _no,_ no!" Dean cut her off. He grabbed her small hands in his. "You have absolutely nothing to do with it, it's not your fault, Emmy. I swear. I know I took my anger out on you, and I shouldn't have. I know that. And I also know I hurt you but it was never my intention, sweetheart. You have no idea how sorry I feel right now. So let me make it up to you, alright?"

Emmy's teary eyes darted between his, her bottom lip quivering. "You can't expect from me to just forget everything you did without even getting an explanation. That's not how it works."

She was right and Dean knew. That's not how you build a healthy relationship, it's how you destroy one when there's no honesty from both parts. "I know that, Emmy. But right now it's the only thing I can do." Dean knew his excuse sounded weak, but thinking of what his father told him made him want to choose this lame pretext over his father's secret any day – even if it hurt his sister, because he knew the amount of hurt she felt right now was nothing compared to the hurt she would feel if she ever discovers what their father had been hiding from her all this time.

"Does Sammy know?" Emmy asked past the big lump in her throat.

"No," Dean breathed.

"Will he ever know?"

Dean went quiet. "Maybe…"

That was it. Emmy couldn't believe this. Her brother wouldn't utter a word to her, but he was willing to tell Sam? That hurt. That _really_ hurt and Dean could see it in her eyes. Emmy wrenched her hands from his, moving to get out of bed.

Dean reached for her. "Emmy, baby-"

"Don't _baby_ me," she snapped, a single tear rolling down her cheek as she pushed his hands away. "I'm not a baby anymore!"

Emmy took her clothes on the carpeted floor and stormed into her bathroom, slamming the door shut behind her.

Dean could hear the water running from the shower but it didn't stop him from hearing her sniffs. If he had wished to punch himself, he now wanted to kill himself for hurting the one person he had sworn to protect. But lately it looked like he only succeeded at doing the opposite.

 **SPN**

Sam looked up from the paper he was reading when he heard the commotion upstairs, followed by the unmistaken sound of a slamming door. He was about to check on his siblings when he already heard someone getting down.

"What was that?" Sam asked once Dean joined him in the kitchen, going straight for the coffee.

"That was our baby sister displaying her hate towards me," Dean answered casually but Sam didn't miss the underlying pain in his voice.

"She said she hated you?" Sam sounded surprised and slightly shocked. The Emmy he knew was too sweet to even say a bad word about a stranger, let alone to her own brothers.

"Not her exact words but I wouldn't be surprised if she actually hated me." Dean leaned against the counter with the mug in his hand. "I kinda deserved it."

Sam sighed. "What did you do?"

The oldest Winchester huffed into his coffee. "What didn't I do?"

"I thought things were getting better between you two," Sam said. "What happened?"

Dean absently picked at the wooden kitchen counter. "She wanted to know why I had been so distant."

Sam was silent, waiting for the next part. "And," he pushed.

Dean took a deep breath before letting it out through his nose. "And I couldn't tell her."

Sam fixed his brother with his trademark bitch face. "And you're surprised you aren't her favorite person right now?"

"I'm not surprised," Dean revoked. "I just didn't think she would … I don't know …"

"Be actually mad at you," Sam offered.

"I suppose," Dean shrugged before taking another sip of his coffee. He wasn't used to a defiant Emmy. Normally she would've taken his apology without a second thought.

"Can't really blame her if you ask me," Sam commented. "Hell, even I'm curious as to why you've been avoiding her like the plague."

Dean let out an aggravated sigh. "Sam, stop right there, alright."

"Dude, you never acted towards her that way. Whatever it is, it must be something serious," Sam argued.

Dean finished his coffee and put it in the sink, rinsing it. "Believe me, you don't wanna know."

Sam frowned. He found it hard to imagine what his brother was hiding from him. "You know she's my sister, too. I think I have the right to know what's going on as much as you do."

Dean didn't turn around, his back still facing his brother. But Sam could see the strained muscles in his back, the tension. Dean was contemplating if he should tell Sam what his father told him or not. Should he tell him about Emmy? Should he tell him about himself? Dean knew he couldn't keep the secrets locked up inside of him. They were too much of a burden, too heavy to carry around on his own. He needed someone to share the load and responsibility, to alleviate some of the mental weight. But they were in the wrong place and it wasn't the right time either.

"I'll tell you when I'm ready," was Dean's only reply.

That's when Sam realized that he might have underestimated the amount of baggage his brother was hauling around. Dean could handle a lot, he didn't break that easily. But whatever it is he seemed to be struggling with, it really had a strong impact on him. Sam could see how it got to him, how it affected his actions and Dean never got easily affected.

"Alright then. Whenever you're ready," Sam nodded, not pushing.

Dean appreciated his brother's patience. He didn't know how long it would take for him to sort things out for himself but when he did, he would be ready to tell his brother. His sister was another story though. He wanted to tell her but he knew his sister inside out and he knew she wouldn't want to know. He wished _he_ never knew. What he wouldn't do to go back to that moment and prevent his father from ever saying the words that turned his entire life upside down.

"What about Emmy? I think you should talk to her, she probably doesn't wanna see my face right now."

"I think I know something better. Something that'll cheer her up," Sam answered. At Dean's questioning look, he added, "The Carnaval."

 **SPN**

Emmy chewed on her pink cotton candy while wiping her sticky fingers off on her cut offs. From the distance she could see a ferris wheel spinning, her eyes following the circular motions. It had been almost a year since she last went to a fair or carnival. The last time she visited one was with her dad. They were just passing through and her father surprisingly found time to spend some time with her. He was always busy to the point Emmy didn't bother asking him to do something together anymore. But her brother Dean was away, leaving her alone with their father. Instead of burying himself in books and research, John had decided to take her to the fair. It was the last time Emmy could remember spending some quality time with her dad. Her mood turned gloomy when she once again realized how soon her father left. She felt like she hadn't gotten the chance to spend enough time with him, to do fun stuff with him, to just _be_ with him.

A little woman, Emmy guessed around three foot tall, walked past her and her brother Sam. She was dressed in a clown outfit, completed with the matching red nose, big shoes and bow. Emmy felt a little uncomfortable with being taller than the woman with her 4'11. It was a weird sight, seeing the little woman next to her giant brother who was currently staring at the woman like she could jump him any second.

"Did you get her number?" Dean said as he walked over to them.

Emmy didn't even see him coming.

Sam didn't take his eyes off the woman until she was out of sight. He then scowled at his brother for the comment. "More murders?"

Dean would've have laughed at his brother, but didn't react on it. "Two more last night," he answered instead. "Apparently they were ripped to shreds. And they had a little boy with them."

"Who fingered a clown," Sam added with a nod.

At his brother's choice of words, Dean gave him a weird look.

"What?"

Dean shook his head, getting back to the point. "Yeah, a clown, who apparently vanished into thin air."

Emmy shifted closer to Sam when Dean moved to lean next to her. He looked down at her with raised eyebrows but his little sister didn't give him one bit of attention as she faced away from him, watching how some men were decorating a trailer.

"Dean, you know, looking for a cursed object is like trying to find a needle in a stack of needles," Sam brought up, pulling back his attention. "They could be anything."

"Well, it's bound to give off EMF, so we'll just have to scan everything," Dean reasoned, not taking his eyes away from the top of Emmy's head when he noticed some cotton candy stuck to his sister's hair. She was always such a messy eater.

Sam brought his hands up before letting them fall against his sides in exasperation. "Oh, good, that's nice and... inconspicuous."

Dean looked around, his eyes falling on a sign that said ' _HELP WANTED. INQUIERE WITH .'  
_ "I guess we'll just have to blend in."

Sam followed his brother's gaze and groaned. He was hoping to get away from the carnival as soon as possible but it seemed he was doomed. Luck was never really on his side, was it.

Dean reached his hand out to take the candy from Emmy's hair when she swatted his hand away.

"There's something in your hair," he explained, reaching out once again only to have her push his hand away for the second time.

"Stop it," Emmy protested. "I can do it," she insisted.

Dean watched as she plucked the cotton candy from her hair by herself. There was a small piece she missed by her ear and Sam got it for her. Dean didn't fail to notice how she didn't put up a fuss when Sam did it and he would be lying if he said it didn't grate him.

 **SPN**

"You boys picked a hell of a time to join up. Take a seat," Mr. Cooper offered.

Emmy looked around his small, stuffy and dark office. This was a place every claustrophobic person should steer away from. There were only two chairs available, one was normal while the other had a giant face of a clown on it. Dean was quick to take the plain chair, cheekily wiggling his eyebrows at Sam. That's what he gets for laughing at him earlier. Dean took a note to watch his words around these carnies – they might look friendly but one wrong word made you quickly rethink that.

Sam sent his brother a look that could kill but only got a smirk in reply. He swallowed hard before gingerly sitting down on the chair. Emmy noticed him fidgeting, reminding her of the time Dean put itching powder in his pants. After contemplating her next move, she decided to sit on Sam's armrest.

 _Figures_ , Dean mentally rolled his eyes. He was getting used to Emmy keeping her distance from him, he wasn't about to cave in if that's what she wanted. He could handle her acting like that … but for how long?

"We've got all kinds of local trouble." Mr. Cooper, a stout man who was getting bald on top, leaned back against his chair.

"What do you mean?" Dean asked.

"Oh, a couple of folks got themselves murdered. Cops always seem to start here first," he explained. "So," he clapped his hands together, "you two ever worked the circuit before?"

Sam was the first to answer. "Yes sir, last year through Texas and Arkansas."

"Yeah." Dean easily went along with the lie.

"Doing what? Ride jockies? Butcher? ANS men?" the man listed off.

Sam cleared his throat, realizing how they were the last persons who fit the description especially with their lack of experience. "Yeah, it's, uh, little bit of everything, I guess."

Mr. Cooper watched the brothers closely, trying to read them. "You two have never worked a show in your lives before, have you?"

"Nope," was Dean's casual, but honest reply. "But we really need the work. Oh, and uh, Sam here's got a thing for the bearded lady."

Sam didn't spare his brother a glance for the childish comment.

"What about the little one?" Mr. Cooper tilted his head to Emmy.

Sam's arm slipped around his sister's waist. "Oh no, she's just our little sister. We're on babysitting duty."

The old man seemed to buy that and pointed at a picture on the wall. "You see that picture? That's my daddy."

"You look just like him," Sam remarked.

That was an understatement, Emmy thought. The man on the picture looked exactly like the one sitting in front of her.

Mr. Cooper went along explaining the history of how his father started this carnival up. He leaned forward, placing his elbows on his desk. "You see, this place, it's a refuge for outcasts. Always has been. For folks that don't fit in nowhere else." He looked at the siblings, his eyes assessing them. "But you two? You should go to school. Find a couple of girls. Have two point five kids." He then addressed the little blonde. "Be a kid, have fun now that you don't have any responsibilities. Enjoy what your parents can give you. You know, the regular life."

Emmy couldn't remember ever having lived _regular_. And what is there to enjoy from your parents when they were both gone? She hated being constantly reminded of what she had lost, she tried hard not to think about it but almost everyone and everything still succeeded in reviving what she was dying to just forget. Not wanting to let them see her glistening eyes nor her trembling bottom lip, she casted her gaze downwards, letting her hair form a curtain to hide her face. She absently toyed with Sam's long fingers on her stomach as she tried to swallow down the growing lump in her throat.

Despite her effort at concealing her face, Dean still noticed the little sparkle going out in her eyes. It was barely there since they lost their father and he was hoping it would light up again soon in the future but bringing up what she missed obviously didn't help. He had the sudden urge to call the man out for even mentioning their parents and upsetting his sister but the logic part in his mind pointed out that the man obviously didn't do it on purpose.

Sam noticed the words his brother was ready to spew. Chances were that whatever was about to come out from between Dean's lips, it could ruin their only shot at getting the job. Before his brother could say anything, Sam beat him to the punch.

"Sir?" With eyes looking resolute and a serious face, Sam inched closer. "We don't want to go to school, we don't want regular. We want this."

 **SPN**

Emmy was happy she was back outside in the sun, they couldn't get out of there soon enough.

"Huh," Dean huffed.

"What?" Sam asked, reaching for Emmy's hand. She took it without a second thought while Dean pretended he didn't notice.

"That whole, uh, I don't want to go back to school thing. Were you just saying that to Cooper or were you, you know, saying it?"

Sam looked down at his steps, kicking at a small rock. "I don't know."

"You don't know?" Dean sounded a little skeptical. "I thought that once the demon was dead and the fat lady sings that you were gonna take off, head back to Wussy State."

Sam heaved a big sigh. "I'm having second thoughts."

"Really?" Dean and Emmy voiced their surprise at the same time.

"Yeah," he nodded. "I think Dad would have wanted me to stick with the job."

Dean's eyes narrowed. "Since when do you give a damn what Dad wanted? You spent half your life doing exactly what he didn't want, Sam."

"Since he died, okay?" Sam snapped. "Do you have a problem with that?"

Dean fixed his brother with a pointed look. "I don't have a problem at all," he answered before stalking off leaving a perplexed Sam behind.

Emmy tugged at her brother's hand. "You mean that? You're really staying?"

Sam tore his gaze away from Dean's back and looked down. "I wasn't lying when I said I'm not leaving you behind again."

"I know," she said softly. "I'm just wondering if there's a part of you that wants to go back to Stanford."

"Well there is a part, but it's a very tiny almost non-existent part."

Emmy swung their hands back and forth as they picked up their walk again. "I don't mind if you would wanna go back. I mean, I would chose a monster free life over this life any day."

Sam frowned a little at her words. "What do you mean?"

"I'm just saying if you wanna go back … I won't stop you."

"You _want_ me to go back?" Sam questioned, slowing down the pace.

Emmy nibbled on her bottom lip. "I know you always talked about going to college when I was younger. I don't wanna be the one holding you back from doing what you want … I don't want you to stay just for me."

Sam couldn't believe his ears. He stopped dead in his tracks before crouching down in front of his sister, holding both her hands in his. "Emmy, after everything that happened, you think going back to school, becoming a lawyer, is still one of my priorities?"

Emmy shrugged her small shoulders.

"Well, it's not," he told her firmly. "You're my top priority. You and Dean are the only family I have left. I'm not gonna abandon you guys again. If there's anything I've learned these last coupla months it's that you can lose everything in the blink of an eye so you gotta hold on to the important things in life, and right now that's you and Dean. Not school, not working for my future cuz we don't even know if there will be tomorrow."

"What about Azazel?"

"He's one of my priorities," Sam answered. "But you and Dean always come first."

Emmy looked up at him through her long eye lashes. "Promise."

Sam help his little finger. "I pinky promise."

Her face split into a small smile as she hooked her finger around his. Sam grabbed her chin, pulling her closer, dropping a hard kiss on her cheek.

"Let's go before Dean comes looking for us."

 **SPN**

After having paid for five corks, Emmy loaded her weapon before looking at the prizes she could hit. The easiest ones where just little plush bears, stupid toys she didn't want or bags of candy. She scanned the wall for other prizes she could aim for, when her eyes fell on the Super Square DVD collection set of SpongeBob Squarepants. She wasn't sure if she could hit it, but it was worth a try.

"I'm gonna pick that one," she pointed at the DVD box.

The carnie, a boy in his late teens, gave her a surprised look. "You sure you gonna get that one, kiddo?"

"I don't know," Emmy shrugged, a little unsure.

"Why don't you try the easier ones first," he suggested. "What about this make-up kit?"

Emmy had to refrain herself from rolling her eyes. She was never a girly girl, but she wasn't a tomboy either, she was in the middle. She loved painting her nails once in a while, or play with her hair, but she loved getting dirty or play Mario on her Nintendo. Make-up wasn't something she desired to have. Besides, she didn't even know how to use it. The only thing she knew about make-up was that the girls her brother hung around with wore too much of it. Speaking of her brother, Sam and Dean (mostly Dean) would kill her before she'd even get the chance to put her hands on it.

"Nope," she shook her head. "I'll go for the DVD's."

"Whatever floats your boat." The boy adjusted his hat and moved to the side to give her some space. "Go get 'em."

Emmy stretched out her arms with the gun in both hands. She wasn't used to this kind of weapon but she wouldn't let that detail ruin her chance of winning this thing. She closed one eye, zoning in on the price she wanted. With her finger on the trigger, she waited until she was sure her aim was good before shooting.

*BAM!*

"Oh! That was close, _really_ close," the boy sounded amazed. "Try again."

Emmy took a deep breath, rolling her shoulders before putting the gun back in place. She opened her legs slightly, standing firmly on both feet before giving it another try.

*BAM!*

"Almost!" The carnie bit his fist. "Girl, you're better than most grownups around here. How old are ya?"

"Thanks," Emmy smiled proudly. "And I just turned ten yesterday."

"Well I have to give it to you, kiddo, you sure do have a talent," he winked before gesturing at the weapon. "You got three rounds left, show me what you got."

Emmy concentrated on the smiling, yellow sponge. She narrowed her eyes, slowly putting pressure on the trigger before she pulled it.

*BAM!*

"YES!" she jumped. "I hit it!"

"You sure did," the young man applauded. "You're probably the fifth person who got that one, and the others weren't even kids."

Emmy beamed as he handed her much deserved prize.

"Can I go again?" she asked excitedly.

"I don't know," the carnie rubbed at his chin. "I'm afraid you'll shoot everything up in here. I don't wanna lose my job you know."

Emmy caught the teasing in his voice and laughed. She still got two corks left, it would be a shame if she didn't use them.

"You got your pretty eyes on something?"

"Uhm …" Emmy let her gaze wander over the objects. "The photo camera."

The boy pushed out his lips in doubt. "Hate to put a damper on your luck, but that's a little farfetched don't ya think?"

Emmy scrunched up her freckled button nose in thought. She mentally calculated the distance and the precision needed to hit the highest prize. Oh well, she already won the DVD set, it wasn't like she was going home with empty hands anyway.

"It's worth a shot."

"You're a real go-getter, aren't ya." The carnie chuckled. "The range is all yours, goldilocks."

Emmy resumed her previous stance and got ready. She thought back to when Dean taught her how to throw darts, that night Sam and her got kidnapped by those psycho cannibals.

 _Right foot forward._

 _Make sure your posture is firm and unshakable._

 _Don't lean back._

 _Eyes on the prize._

*BAM!*

The carnie slowly took his hat off, his eyes bulged. "Holy shit." When he realized what he had said, he quickly corrected himself. "I'm sorry, I meant crap. Holy crap."

"Not bad, huh," Emmy grinned. She went straight for the prize.

"I can't believe it," he muttered to himself as he took the gun from her, inspecting it as if it could've been rigged. "Damn, girl."

"Can I have my camera now, please?" Emmy questioned.

"Y-yeah," still flabbergasted, the carnie handed her over the prize.

Emmy almost jumped out of her skin when a heavy hand rested on her shoulder. She turned around, startled and out of breath. _Dean_.

"You scared me to death," she panted with a hand on her pounding heart.

"Watcha got?" Dean tilted his head in the direction of the shooting gallery.

Emmy showed him the DVD set and the camera but not before shrugging off his hand on her shoulder. Dean once again ignored the action. He had to give it to her for holding a grudge like that. He didn't know she had it in her.

"You won all that?" He whistled, impressed.

"She your daughter?" The carnie spoke up.

"Baby sister," Dean corrected him.

"I told you, I'm not a baby anymore," Emmy muttered through gritted teeth.

Dean rolled his eyes, she was serious about that? She might not be a baby but that didn't mean he would stop calling her that. There's only two things he called baby, the Impala and his sister. So he'll keep calling her baby whether she wanted it or not.

"You ever took her out for a hunt or something?"

Dean's ears perked up at the mention of _hunt_. "Hunting?"

The carnie nodded. "Yeah, you know, shooting birds and stuff like that."

 _Oh, that kinda hunting._ Dean let out a breath he didn't even know he was holding. He almost forgot that hunting wasn't always necessarily associated with monsters. "Uh, no never. Why?"

"She got some great skills, from holding the gun to firing it," he praised, earning a shy smile from Emmy. "And her aim is insane, especially for a ten year old."

Dean made a sound of amazement. "She got that from me." He patted her back.

"It can come in handy one day."

Dean simply nodded at the carnie. As if he was ever going to let his sister hold a loaded gun, let alone shoot with it. He planned on raising his sister and that didn't involve hunting of any kind.

"Well, we gotta go now." Dean looked down at his sister, resisting to run a hand through her hair to smooth down the strands, knowing she didn't want him to touch her. "Let's go Emmy, Sam's waiting for us."

"Enjoy your belated birthday presents." The carnie held up his hand for a high five.

Emmy jumped up to smack her hand against his. "I will," she giggled. "Bye!"

Dean couldn't remember the last time he had seen her giggle like that. Hearing it now made him realize how much he missed it. He also noticed the sparkle was back in her eyes. Looking at her, you couldn't see how she was suffering inside. But she wasn't putting up a mask either, Dean knew since he was the master of putting up a fake façade. No, she was genuinely happy and he hoped it would last as long as possible.

 **SPN**

Waiting near the funhouse, Sam finally caught the sight of his siblings approaching. Dean was holding a yellow box with SpongeBob on the front while Emmy fiddled with a grey camera.

"What took you so long?" Sam asked once they were near.

"I was looking for Emmy when I came across that blind guy. Long story."

"Sammy look what I won," Emmy happily showed him her prizes.

"Oh, wow. Where did you got all this stuff?"

"At the shooting gallery," she smiled. "The carnie said that I could a give a storm trooper a run for his money."

"I knew you had perfect aim," Sam sounded proud, ruffling her hair.

"Mommy, look at the clown!" A little girl suddenly screeched.

The Winchester siblings all looked over to see a curly haired girl, who looked to be around eight years old, pointing at something.

"What clown?" her mother asked, looking around but not seeing anything. "Come on, sweetie, come on." The woman wrapped an arm around her daughter's shoulders before pulling her away.

Sam and Dean exchanged a knowing look.

 **SPN**

Sam turned in the minivan's passenger's seat. "Dean, I cannot believe you told Papazian about the homicidal phantom clown."

"I told him an urban legend about a homicidal phantom clown." Dean kept a watchful eye on the little girl's house. "I never said it was real." He pulled out a gun, cocking it when Sam pushed his hands down.

"Keep that down!" he hissed.

"Oh, and get this." Dean turned to face his brother. "I mentioned the Bunker Brother's Circus in '81 and their, uh, evil clown apocalypse? Guess what."

"What?" Sam asked as he absently checked on his sister through the rearview mirror. She was quiet, looking through the window as if the trees were the most interesting thing she'd ever seen.

"Before Mr. Cooper owned Cooper Carnival, he worked for Bunker Brothers. He was their lot manager."

Sam looked at his brother. "So you think whatever the spirit's attached to, Cooper just brought it with him?" He caught on to his brother's words.

"Something like that." Dean went back to watching the house with a slight shake of his head. "I can't believe we keep talking about clowns."

Emmy yawned, rubbing at her eyes. She hated waiting without having anything to keep her busy. Having nothing to do made a tornado flow around her mind, making her think of the things she was trying _not_ to think of. She cursed herself for forgetting to bring her Nintendo or Harry Potter book, they would've helped keeping her up. The only thing stopping her from falling asleep, was the stinging pain on the inside of her arms. She literally had to pinch herself to keep those horrible nightmares away.

"Emmy, stop that."

She blinked, looking up to see Sam giving her a disapproving look.

"I'm sorry." She reluctantly dropped her hands, trapping them between her legs.

Sam sighed, patting the space between him and Dean. "C'mere."

"I'm good back here," she declined softly. There's only one reason why Sam would tell her to come to him – he wanted to help her sleep and that's the last thing she wanted.

Sam gave her a stern look. "Emmy."

She fixed him with the same look. "Sammy."

"Don't make me come get you," he warned.

"I won't," she said smartly.

"Then I can't give you this back." Sam held up her necklace Bobby fixed for her.

Emmy's eyes widened, "My necklace!" She reached for it but Sam held it out of her grasp. "Give it to me."

"Come and get it," Sam taunted, holding the chain away from her.

Emmy scowled after multiple failed attempts. "You suck," she pouted as she climbed over the seat, plopping down between her brothers.

Sam smiled in victory before clasping the necklace around her neck. Emmy felt a tingling sensation going through her body when she felt the familiar weight of the butterfly rest against her chest. It was like she felt whole again, as if the jewelry completed her. With a content sigh, Emmy closed her eyes, feeling as if she was suddenly at ease. Her mind was peaceful, her body was calm and before she knew it, she was gone.

Dean yawned, checking his watch real quick before leaning back against his seat. He started dozing when a sudden light weight pressed against his side. He looked down to see that Emmy had fallen asleep on his shoulder. Without a second thought, he wrapped an arm around her, tucking her close against him. With her asleep, it was probably the only physical contact he could get from her. Dean buried his head in her hair, taking in the fresh scent of her shampoo. He dropped a kiss on top of her head before closing his eyes. He only got to enjoy the quietness for ten minutes when Sam shook him awake.

 **SPN**

Emmy woke up confused by the sun shining in her eyes. She looked around, noticing she was the only one in the minivan which was parked off the side of a road. She put her shoes back on before getting out of the car. Following her brothers' voices, she found them digging out their stuff from the car.

"What are you guys doing?" she asked, covering her mouth when she yawned.

Dean looked up from putting the license plates in one of the duffel bags. "Oh good, you're up."

Emmy frowned in confusion. "Where are we going?"

Sam shouldered his bag. "Dean thinks that family saw our plates. So let's go before they trace us."

"Wait, you killed the clown? When?" The last thing Emmy remembered was falling asleep in the front seat of the car.

"Uh, not really." Sam motioned for her to start walking as they went down the road.

"It wasn't a spirit?" she questioned.

"I don't think so," Dean spoke up. "I mean, that rock salt hit something solid."

"Yeah, a person? Or maybe a creature that can make itself invisible?" Sam suggested.

"And dresses up like a clown for kicks?" Dean added with a snort. "Did it say anything in Dad's journal?"

Sam shook his head. "Nope." He cleared his throat, taking out his cell phone.

"Who're your calling?"

"Maybe Ellen or that guy Ash will know something," Sam answered his brother.

"Is Ellen the same woman who left the voicemail on Dad's phone?" Emmy asked.

"Yeah," Dean nodded. "She runs this saloon where hunters pass through. It's where she met Dad."

"And who's Ash?"

"A genius with a mullet." Dean huffed a laugh at the thought of the man. "He said he could help us trace down the yellow eyed demon."

Emmy nodded as she took in the information. "Oh."

"Hey, you think, uh, you think Dad and Ellen ever had a thing?" Sam couldn't help but wonder out loud.

"Ew," Emmy cringed. She didn't like the thought of her father being with someone else. In her mind, he was still married to their mother. But she wasn't that naïve either, she knew men had … _needs_. She just always pretended her Dad didn't have those … _needs._ The thought only made her want to throw up.

"No way," was Dean's resolute response.

"Then why didn't he tell us about her?" Sam inquired.

"Cuz Dad never tells us anything," Emmy commented.

"That," Dean agreed, "or maybe they had some sort of falling out."

"Yeah." Sam couldn't argue with that. "You ever notice Dad had a falling out with just about everybody?" The only reply he got from Dean was an almost imperceptible nod. "Well, don't get all maudlin on me, man."

Dean stopped walking. "What do you mean?"

Emmy could sense a fight coming up, something she wasn't looking forward to. She used their distraction to sneak out and look for some bushes she could use to pee. She really had to go badly. After having found a spot, she quickly did her business. She could still hear her brothers argue about their father's death. She heard Dean saying that he dealt with it but what about Sam? Emmy realized that she hadn't really seen her brother grieve yet. She had nightmares, Dean was not acting like himself but what about Sam? All he did was trying to get them to talk, he was the one who tried to fix the broken pieces but what about him? Emmy suddenly felt selfish for not ever having asked how he was dealing.

"EMMY!"

She quickly finished up before rejoining her brothers.

"Were the hell did you go?" Dean asked.

"Nature's call," she answered sheepishly.

"Don't go off like that again," he told her firmly.

Emmy didn't reply and chose to look at Sam further down the road where he was talking on his phone.

Dean noticed the act of avoidance, and as much as he tried to ignore it, it was starting to get to him.

He scratched at the nape of his neck. "So, any nightmares last night?"

"Nope." Emmy fiddled with a loose tread of her shorts.

"You think the necklace might got something to do with it?"

Emmy shrugged. "Maybe." _Or maybe it's because I had you next to me._

Emmy wasn't oblivious, she knew her brother was the one chasing the nightmares away. How he did it, she didn't know. But she was too proud to admit he was the only solution to her sleepless nights.

Tucking his hands in his pockets, Dean nodded.

This was awkward, Emmy thought. She wasn't used being this uncomfortable in the presence of her brother. As hard as she tried not giving up, it was getting more difficult to hold a grudge against Dean. She wasn't used being that mad at him for this long and neither was he. But still, she didn't want to give him the satisfaction of waving the flag of truce, not until he tells her what he's been hiding from her.

The sound of footsteps filled the air and Emmy let out a breath in relief when she saw Sam approaching.

"Rakshasa," he said.

"What's that?" Dean questioned.

"Ellen's best guess." Sam pocketed his phone before carrying his duffel bag and starting to walk again, leaving the rest to follow. "It's a race of ancient Hindu creatures. They appear in human form, they feed on human flesh, they can make themselves invisible, and they cannot enter a home without first being invited."

"So they dress up like clowns, and the children invite them in," Dean affirmed.

"Yeah."

Dean pulls a face in confusion, "Why don't they just munch on the kids?"

"No idea." Sam lifted up his shoulders. "Not enough meat on the bones, maybe?"

Emmy shrieked when he playfully pinched her side. "Or maybe we just don't taste good," she theorized, giggling when Sam pinched her again.

"What else did you find out?" Dean interrupted his siblings.

"Well, apparently, Rakshasas live in squalor. They sleep on a bed of dead insects." Sam tickled Emmy around her neck.

"Sammy stop!" she laughed, even though the thought of insects made her shudder.

"And they have to feed a few times every twenty or thirty years," he added. "Slow metabolism, I guess."

"Well, that makes sense. I mean, the Carnival today, the Bunker Brothers in '81," Dean reasoned.

"Right." Sam acknowledged. "Probably more before that."

Dean started picking at the skin around his nail with his teeth when a sudden thought came to his mind. "Hey Sam, who do we know that worked both shows?"

"Cooper?" Sam came up with after a few seconds of thinking.

"Cooper." Dean nodded.

"He looked awfully like his father on the picture," Emmy remembered.

"Maybe it was him?" Dean suggested.

"Well, who knows how old he is?" Sam asked himself.

"Probably 352 years old," Emmy guessed randomly.

"Wow, that's precise," Sam snorted.

"He just looks like he could be 352 years old," Emmy responded nonchalantly.

"You're the worst at guessing people's ages," Sam chuckled, ruffling her hair but she managed to get away from his hand, sticking her tongue at him.

"Ellen say how to kill him?" Dean asked.

"Legend goes, a dagger made of pure brass."

Dean eyes narrowed in thought. "I think I know where to get one of those."

"Well, before we go stabbing things into Cooper, we're going to want to make damn sure it's him," Sam told him, flashing him a pointed look.

"Oh, you're such a stickler for details, Sammy," Dean smirked, earning a dimpled smile from his brother. "All right, I'll round up the blade, you go check if Cooper's got bedbugs. And you," he pointed at Emmy, "are going back to Bobby's. I don't want you anywhere near a child-eating-clown."

"Dean that's too far away," Sam chipped in. "We should drop her off at the Roadhouse, it's only twenty minutes from here."

"What's the Roadhouse?" Emmy asked.

"It's the name of Ellen's bar," Sam answered.

"Dude, I'm not gonna leave her with some people we just met a day ago," Dean interjected.

Sam rolled his eyes. "We're talking about a woman who's in the hunting business longer than Dad ever was. I think her place is as safe as it gets."

Dean wasn't a fan of leaving Emmy somewhere he couldn't keep his eyes on her. It wasn't like he didn't trust the Harvelle's, he just didn't like the thought of not having her near him.

"Fine," he reluctantly conceded.

"U, do I have a say in this?" Emmy questioned.

"Not really."

"Nope."

 **SPN**

After going through the introduction at the Roadhouse, Emmy had to admit that she could get used to the company of the Harvelle's and their disheveled, high-tech Einstein. She didn't know if it was because of the homey vibe she got from the family or the female presence, but she liked it there.

"So how's it been living on the road?" Ellen asked as she dried off some glasses. "I can imagine it wasn't a cakewalk."

Emmy looked up from the Gameboy she was playing on. She got it from Ash who – in an unexplainable way – managed to program new Mario Bros games on it. It probably only had ten pixels and the sound crackled but it was still awesome.

"It wasn't but I never knew any other way of living," Emmy shrugged. "Although sometimes I do wish we could stay somewhere long enough for me to make friends or something."

Jo appeared next to her, taking a seat on one of the stools. "I can be your friend," she smiled, tugging at Emmy's braid.

The ten year old grinned. She kinda admired Jo. The woman was pretty, badass and a hunter. Emmy wished to be like her one day, to be strong enough to protect herself. She didn't mind having her brothers to take care of her, but that wasn't something she wanted to last. She was getting bigger which meant that she had to take more responsibility and be more independent. That was kinda hard when you have your brothers breathing down your neck every second of the day. Emmy just hoped Sam and Dean would give her enough space and time to grow up. And maybe one day, who knows, she can be like Jo – minus the hunting, because it looks like she has no chance in that department, not when her brothers have a say in it. But they couldn't expect from her to live the hunting life without ever participating or at least learn about it, right?

"So how're you dealing?" Ellen pulled her out of her train of thoughts.

"Dealing with what?" Emmy asked. Not more than a second later, she realized the woman's question. "Oh. Um, I'm … I'm dealing."

Emmy was a little thrown for a loop. No one had ever asked her how she was doing, not that it was needed since it was pretty obvious from the night terrors that she wasn't dealing at all. Although she'd like to think that she was getting better these last couple of days. The nightmares have reduced and she could bear thinking about her father, talking was a little harder but she was getting there … eventually.

"Were you close with your Daddy?" Ellen could see that the girl wasn't comfortable talking about her father. But she wanted to let her know that you could talk about a deceased person without bringing up the grief.

Emmy snorted, a smile tugging at her lips. "As close as you can get with him I suppose."

Ellen threw the rag over her shoulder before resting her forearms on the bar, leaning closer to Emmy. "You know when your daddy used to pass through, he would talk about his kids non-stop. He told me about this story once when you were three I think. You were convinced that your father's name was Daddy. You would constantly correct anyone who called him otherwise."

Emmy couldn't help but laugh. "Yeah, that sounds like me."

"He also told us you thought he was a magician cuz he could make the windshield wipers move without touching anything," Jo added with a laugh.

Emmy chuckled. "I was pretty stupid when I was younger."

"No you weren't," Ellen disagreed, "You were funny as hell _and_ adorable."

"Thanks," Emmy smiled shyly.

There was the sudden sound of something falling, coming from the back room. Ellen groaned, rolling her eyes.

" _A little help, please!"_ Ashe's voice yelled, sounding muffled.

"Give the guy a computer and he'll hack into the US Government networks but a task as simple as stocking up on booze seems to be too complex," Ellen mumbled under her breath. "Excuse me for a minute, girls."

Emmy cracked at the thought of Ash being buried under beer crates.

"You know I lost my dad, too."

Emmy's smile dropped as her head turned back to Jo. "I-I'm sorry."

"It's okay," Jo shrugged it off. "I was even younger than you when he died. Like you, I haven't gotten the chance to spend much time with him. He was a full time hunter who could leave for weeks before coming back for two days, only to leave again as soon as the morning came."

"How did he die?" Emmy found herself asking. The question was out before she could think of it.

"On a hunt," Jo answered.

Emmy suddenly felt a connection to her, knowing that they both lost their fathers at a young age. Looking at Jo, Emmy thought she turned out okay. Jo looked like the girl that could stand up for herself, she has her head screwed on right and could take a punch or two. Emmy hoped she'd be fortunate enough to be that kinda person.

"How did you deal with it?"

Jo propped her elbow on the bar, leaning her blonde head on her hand. "I was only six. I had a hard time understanding he wouldn't come back you know. I was used not seeing him for months sometimes, so it wasn't really hard at first. But then after a year, I was starting to realize I would never see him again." Jo's eyes fell to her lap where she fiddled with the hem of her apron. "And that's when realization hit me hard … real hard."

Emmy chewed on her bottom lip. "What did you do?"

Jo took a deep breath. "I avoided the subject. I pretended he was never there, got rid of every little thing that made me think of him. I was trying to get him off my mind by erasing every trail that referred to his existence."

"I'm guessing that didn't work?" Emmy said softly.

Jo let out a short huff of laughter. "Nope. It made everything worse." She lifted her head, fixing her teary eyes with Emmy's. "The only thing that worked for me was talk. Talk about him, reminisce the good old times. It kept him alive you know, mentioning him, thinking about him. It made me remember what an important part he was in my life, even if he wasn't always around."

Emmy went quiet, her gaze falling to the forgotten game on the Gameboy. She thought of Jo's words, thought of how right she might be. The only thing Emmy tried to do since her father died was forget him, it made the pain disappear. But maybe that's only making things worse. Like Jo had said, avoiding the issue was like leaving the band-aid on for too long – the longer you leave it on, the more it'll hurt once you pull it off. She had to rip the band-aid off which would sting but it sure beats dancing around the issue for days.

"So you think I should talk about my Dad?" Emmy questioned with quivering lips.

"Yeah," Jo nodded, wiping away a tear on Emmy's cheek. "You're lucky you still have your brothers who love you more than any word can say. They would do anything for you to feel better. You don't have to wait for them, you might as well take the first step too if you want." Jo rubbed Emmy's arms gently, offering her a sympathetic smile. "Think about it, okay. But whatever you do, do it at your own pace, your own time. Don't do anything if you're not ready."

Emmy sniffed, wiping at the tears with the back of her hand. "Thanks," was the only thing she could get out past the big lump.

"Hey, don't mention it," Jo patted her leg. "You wanna hug? I can give really good hugs."

Emmy laughed through her tears, nodding. "Yeah, I can use one."

"C'mere." Jo hopped off her stool, enveloping the girl in her arms. She rubbed Emmy's back, running a hand through her soft hair. "You'll be okay. You're a strong girl, Emmy. I know that." Jo squeezed her closer to her body, whispering in her ear, "You're a Winchester after all."

Emmy buried her face against Jo's shoulder, trying to stop the sobs wrecking her small body. Seeing her brothers and father, so strong, so indestructible. Emmy wished she could be like that but no one ever told her how hard it was. No one ever told her that being strong hurt.

 **SPN**

After having spent the night at the Roadhouse, Emmy waited patiently on her brothers. It was only six in the morning, and after not getting a wink of sleep – not when her brothers were out there killing clowns – Emmy was exhausted. But she wouldn't relax until her brothers were back. They had called her an hour ago, telling her they would be back in an hour. Emmy had enjoyed staying at the Roadhouse, she liked the mother and her daughter, she even liked Ash even though he smelled sometimes. But Emmy was aching to go back home, whether that be at Bobby's or the Impala.

From her sitting position on the porch, Emmy could see and hear a car coming up. She didn't recognize the car but it definitely looked like one her brothers would hotwire. The car pulled up in front of the bar and Emmy didn't waste a second as she ran to meet them halfway.

Sam was just out of the car when he humph'd as she jumped on him, his arms automatically circling her.

"Whoa!" He had to hold onto the car to keep him from tumbling over. He quickly regained his balance and adjusted his sister in his arms. "Hey, good to see you too, honey," he chuckled, kissing her cheek.

Emmy returned the kiss. "I missed you."

She hadn't spent a night without her brothers since the day they left to find their father, leaving her at Bobby's. That night turned out to be the worst night in her life. She didn't like not having her brothers close, let alone not see them for an entire day.

"Did you get some sleep tonight?" Sam asked, smoothing down her hair, his hand lingering on her cheek.

"A little," Emmy muttered, focusing on anything but his face.

Sam cupped her chin, turning her head towards him. "Emmy." He gave her a knowing look.

 _Stupid, overprotective brothers._ Emmy had to refrain from rolling her eyes.

"I might have closed my eyes for an hour, but I couldn't fall asleep," she defended herself even if it was a lie. "I wasn't tired."

She didn't have much luck since Sam saw right through it. "I want you in bed by seven tonight."

"Seven!" she gasped. "What am I, four?"

"No, you're a ten year old who's in dire need of sleep." Sam kissed her again before putting her down, effectively finishing the discussion.

Emmy huffed but didn't argue. It was then that she noticed someone was missing.

"Where's Dean?" she wondered as she looked around.

"Uh, he already went inside," Sam answered.

Emmy would be lying if she said she didn't feel guilty for having disregarded her brother like that. It wasn't like she did it on purpose and she didn't want Dean to think she did it out of spite. Yes, she was mad at him. Yes, she had been ignoring him the last two days. But no, it was never to hurt him. Emmy just wanted her brother to realize that what he did by deciding not to tell her why _he_ had been ignoring _her_ for more than a week wasn't okay at all. And she wouldn't easily forgive him for that either. But Emmy felt like her point came across, and it looked like Dean wasn't going to say anything whether she wanted or not. Besides, she wasn't good at holding a grudge for that long. And after three days of avoiding her brother, she was starting to miss him.

The smell of beer and cigarettes wafted from the bar as she and Sam entered. Emmy found Dean at the bar, talking to Ellen. Probably filling her in on the case they finished.

"You boys did a hell of a job. Your dad would be proud," she said as she offered him a cup of coffee.

Dean nodded in thanks. He caught Emmy's eye for a second but didn't say anything as he focused back on Jo who was babbling something to him. Emmy felt a sudden pang in her heart. Was he mad at her? Did she take it too far? Were they back to square one, where _he_ was the one avoiding _her_? Not again, Emmy thought. _Please not again._

"Did you guys have any breakfast yet?" Ellen asked. Sam shook his head. "Well, take a seat. I'll bring you guys something. Your sister hasn't eaten anything yet either, said she'd wait until you boys were back."

"Thanks, Ellen," Sam smiled, pulling Emmy towards one of the tables. By the looks Jo was giving him it was obvious she wanted some alone time with Dean.

Emmy suddenly couldn't get anything in her stomach, unless if she wanted to throw up. It physically hurt watching her brother talk to Jo, while he wouldn't even look at her, let alone say hi. This whole I'm-not-talking-to-you-I'm-talking-to-you-I'm-back-to-not-talking-to-you, it was getting completely stupid and pointless. No wonder she and Dean never fought, they were so much alike they never butted heads, but when they did, they both acted the same way.

"So what did you do while we we're gone?" Sam asked, pulling her attention.

Emmy detached her gaze from her brother talking to Jo and willed herself to focus on Sam. "Uh, not much. Ash told me how to play pool."

"You any good?"

Emmy absently twirled a blonde lock between her fingers. "No, I suck."

Sam chuckled. "What else did you do?"

"I helped Ellen with some cooking, watched a movie about a weird Alien who wants to call home, and Jo also took me to the lake and showed me her old treehouse. You think uncle Bobby could build one of those too?"

Sam finished her sandwich, pushing her plate back to her. "I don't know," he licked the peanut butter off his thumb, "you're gonna have to ask Bobby. Also, you need a tree first."

"True," Emmy nodded, picking at the crust of her sandwich. "Jo and I also talked."

"Yeah? About what?" Sam questioned, pointing at her sandwich.

Emmy took a small bite. "About Dad."

"Oh, really?" Sam was surprised to say the least. She hadn't said a word to him about their father, what made her talk about him with a stranger?

"Did you know her father died too? She was even younger than me when it happened," Emmy shared with her brother.

"No I didn't know that," he told her. "So you're okay talking about Dad?"

Emmy went quiet for several seconds, playing with the crumbs. "I guess."

"Will that make you feel better?" Sam asked, leaning closer.

She shrugged, still not meeting his eyes. "A little."

Sam reached for her hand, squeezing it. "You think you can talk to me about it? Or even Dean?"

Emmy looked up at her brother. She could see he wanted her to open up. "I'll try," she promised.

Sam's lips grew into a smile. "You'll see, you're gonna feel a lot better."

The back door suddenly opened, revealing Ash carrying a folder and something that resembled a laptop. His eyes fell on the Winchester boys and he sighed. "Where you guys been? Been waitin' for ya."

"We were working a job, Ash. Clowns?" Sam freshened up his mind.

Ash frowned in confusion. "Clowns? What the f-"

"Is that a braid in your hair," Dean cut him off before any R-rated words left his mouth.

"You like it?" Ash flipped his hair. "That pretty sister o' yours did it." He winked at Emmy causing her to giggle a little.

"So you got something for us?" Dean ignored his comment and got back to the point.

Ash set the homemade laptop down on a table, waving them over.

"Did you find the demon?" Sam was the first to ask.

"It's nowhere around," Ash said as his fingers typed away rapidly on the keyboard. "At least, nowhere I can find. But if this fugly bastard raises his head, I'll know. I mean, I'm on it like Divine on dog dookie."

Sam tried to understand his words but failed. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, any of those signs or omens appear, anywhere in the world, my rig will go off. Like a fire alarm," Ash explained in more human language.

Dean reached for the laptop. "Do you mind – " he cut off midsentence when Ash gave him a pointed look. Dean pulled his hand back awkwardly. "Yeah."

Sam tried to read the multiple open windows but it was too much to process. "Ash, where did you learn to do all this?" Sam sounded amazed.

"M.I.T. Before I got bounced for... fighting," Ash casually answered with his fingers in his belt loops.

Sam's eyebrows shot up. Did he really hear that correctly? "M.I.T.?"

Ash smacked his bubblegum. "It's a school in Boston."

"Okay." Dean cleared his throat. "Give us a call as soon as you know something?"

Ash clicked his tongue. "Si, si, compadre."

As the siblings got ready to leave, Ellen approached them before they reached the door.

"Hey, listen. If you kids need a place to stay I've got a couple beds out back."

"Thanks, but no," Dean politely declined. "There's something I gotta finish."

"Okay," Ellen nodded, not missing his rush. She ran a hand through Emmy's hair. "You know you're always welcome, come over anytime you want, sweetie."

"I know," Emmy smiled. "Thank you."

 **SPN**

The next day, Emmy decided that she'd be the bigger person. She decided to be the one apologizing to Dean, even though he started. But she didn't care, she just wanted her brother back. The day before when they got back from the Roadhouse, Dean had gone straight to the garage, working on the Impala. His distant behavior reminded her of when they just lost their dad, and it was too much. Emmy couldn't handle being close to him without being able to reach him.

She made an apple pie, a recipe she got from Ellen. It looked good, it smelled heavenly but the taste was something else. Dean had to be the judge of that. _If_ he'll want to taste her pie. Her brother always used to say that pie fixed everything, Emmy hoped he was right about that.

As she walked over to the garage, she ran into Sam. Emmy instantly noticed his red rimmed eyes, and concern started to grow.

"Sammy, you okay?"

Not having expected to see her, he quickly sniffed, clearing his throat, trying to compose himself. "Yeah, I'm fine Emmy." Before she could say anything, he pointed at the pie. "I could smell that pie all the way up here. You made that all by yourself?"

Emmy grinned proudly. "Yep! Well, uncle Bobby helped with the oven but apart from that, it was all me."

"Well I hope it will cheer Dean up a little." Sam ruffled her hair. "Leave some for me, will ya?" he said, before walking back to the house.

"I will!" Emmy yelled back.

 **SPN**

Dean waited until Sam left before he reached for the envelope he'd been hiding in the Impala's glove department since his father handed it to him. He took out the piece of paper, containing the words that shook him to the core. He remembered reading those words over and over again, hoping every single time to discover a typo, a different word or anything that would've changed the message on the sheet of paper.

His father's words caused plus his brother's words, were the perfect ingredients to stir up a turmoil of anguish and anger inside of him. Dean wanted to scream it out loud, he wanted to rip the pain off his chest and throw the burdens off his shoulders. Taking the closest thing to him, which was a crowbar, Dean let his boiling emotions take the lead. Smashing the window of a car felt good but slamming it into the trunk of the Impala felt even better. It wasn't about wrecking his car, it was about hurting something close to the person that hurt him. His father.

"D-Dean?"

He stopped at hearing the soft, trembling voice. He slowly turned around, his chest heaving, his shoulders sagging. His baby sister, his cutie pie, his reason to live, stared back at him with wide eyes that reminded him so much of his mother, it was unbearable to even look back at her.

"Dean?" Emmy asked again, hesitantly. She put down the pie on the ground, the purpose of it long forgotten. She only had eyes for one thing, which was her broken brother, her hero who wasn't that invincible as she thought.

She grew up thinking Dean could take the world, nothing could ever defy him. He was the strongest man she knew, physically and emotionally. It never crossed her mind that he was still a human under that thick skin and armor. Her brother had feelings too, he probably struggled with this more than she did. And all that time she was giving him a hard time, not knowing that she was hurting him more. Every hero has a weakness, and family was Dean's weakness. In less than a week, his family literally fell apart, and that got him right in his Achilles' heel.

Emmy didn't realize she was walking towards her brother until she reached him. Looking at the tears pooling in her brother's eyes made her want to break down with him, but someone need to stay strong here. Dean had always been the one fixing their family, now was her turn to return the favor.

"I'm so sorry, Emmy," Dean whispered. "I'm so sorry." He dropped to his knees and wrapped his arms tightly around her waist.

Emmy's arms fell around his neck, her hands stroking his hair. "I'm sorry, too," she choked out.

Dean's arms tightened around her to the point where it hurts, but Emmy didn't let go and only returned the embrace. Her brother had spent his entire life taking care of her and Sam. He never thought twice about putting them first, neglecting his own needs in the process. And for once, Emmy wanted to be the one taking care of him. It was the only thing she could do after all the things he'd done for her. She might be young and nowhere near experienced as he was, but she could relieve some of the load, even if it was only a small piece.

"It'll be okay," she mumbled into his hair, rubbing the back of his neck. "I love you."

 **A/N: Please forgive me for the long wait ... again. I'm just really busy and I don't want to post my chapter until I know it's finished. I don't like rushing into things, and I'd prefer for you to wait a little longer if it means you'll get a 10k+ words chapter instead of a short chapter where I didn't put my heart in.**

 **So, I may have strayed a little from the orginal episode, but that's the perks of being a writer of your own fic :) What did you think of the conversations, the avoiding-game between Dean and Emmy, the ending, the Harvelle's? Could some of you guess what's written on the piece of paper John gave to Dean about Emmy?**

 **Also I've been officially working on a blog. I'm still trying to work this whole tumblr thing out, but I'm getting there ... eventually :p Either way, I'll let you guys know something as soon as it's finished!**

 **Thank you for all your reviews (more than fifty, that just blows my mind), the follows (can we get to 100?), the favorites and of course the reads. I'm putting so much effort into this story, so I really love knowing that most of you appreciate that :D**


	5. Bloodlust

**Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural, only my OC Mary-Elisabeth "Emmy" Winchester.**

Emmy roller-skated her way up the stairs, carrying a laundry hamper with clean clothes. She bumped against the walls multiple times as she tried to steady the hamper while keeping her balance on her roller skates. She huffed and puffed once she arrived at her brothers' bedroom door, pushing it open with her back.

"I got your clothes – _whoa_!"

Emmy tripped over her own feet, dropping the hamper as she felt herself falling forwards in the direction of the dresser. Knowing it was too late to avoid the collision, she pinched her eyes closed with her arms stretched out in front of her, bracing herself. Only the bump never came when a muscular arm snaked around her stomach, swiftly pulling her back up.

"Emmy, how many times do I have to tell you? No roller-skating in the house and definitely not upstairs," Dean scolded, releasing his grip on her once she regained her composure.

"Sorry," she apologized sheepishly, adjusting her tank top, "I forgot."

Dean shook his head disapprovingly. "Take 'em off before you hurt yourself again."

"Okay," she sighed, reluctantly crawling on his bed to work on the shoestrings.

"You finished packing yet?" Dean asked as he started folding the clothes in the hamper before putting them in his duffel bag.

"Almost," she lied. Truth was, she hadn't started packing yet. Emmy didn't want to leave Bobby's, she liked staying with her surrogate uncle.

"Then why are some of your clothes still in here?" he confronted, holding up one of her t-shirts.

Emmy looked up at her brother with wide eyes, trying to come up with a quick excuse. "Oh, there it is! I've been looking for that all morning."

Dean saw right through the lie. "So I assume you've also been looking for," he started rummaging through the clothes, picking out hers, "your hoodie, two pairs of jeans, your socks, your underwear, your shorts, your- "

"Okay, okay," she cut him off. "I haven't started packing yet," she admitted.

Dean started folding her clothes. "And why's that? You do know we're rolling out tomorrow morning."

Emmy didn't look up from untying her shoestrings, which she struggled with. "I know. I'll get to it in a minute," she said quietly.

Dean noticed the lack of enthusiasm in her tone and dropped her clothes before walking over to her. "Here, lemme do it." He kneeled in front of her, helping her untying the shoestrings. "Something tells me you're not excited to get back on the road."

His sister shrugged her small shoulders.

"You wanna stay with Bobby?" Dean asked.

"I guess. I'm starting to get used to staying here," she answered.

Emmy never stayed for more than two weeks in South Dakota. But now they haven't left since their father passed away which was almost a month ago. It had been a long time since she had this kind of stability; sleeping and waking up in the same bed, eating home-cooked meals, having a routine in her days and some structure in her life. And to be honest, Emmy kinda liked it. She wasn't looking forward staying in sleazy motels with horrible taste in decoration or eating all of that junk food again.

"We'll come back, sweetheart," Dean promised.

"Why can't I stay here? It's not like you and Sammy need my help with hunting."

Dean thought about it. Before the situation with his father and Azazel, he would've considered leaving his baby sister behind with Bobby. He trusted the older hunter with his life and he knew Bobby treated Emmy like she was his own. She was safe, taken care of and protected with Bobby. But now, Dean couldn't trust anyone looking after his sister except for him and Sam. He wanted her by his side constantly where he could guard her from any harm. He'd already lost two people he loved with his heart and soul, he'd be damned if something happens to her too.

"I'd be more at ease if you were with me, sweetheart." Dean finished with the shoestrings and took the roller-skates off before sitting down next to her. "You know after everything that has happened, we can't take any chances."

"But you trust uncle Bobby, right? He won't let anything happen to me," Emmy tried to convince her brother.

"I know that, Emmy." Dean tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "And even _if_ we left you here, you'll be okay with me and Sam being so far away?"

Emmy thought for a second. "I think so, yeah."

Dean was a little surprised. "Even with us gone for weeks?"

"I mean I can still talk you guys on the phone, so it won't be that hard, right?"

Dean studied his sister. Where was that little girl that clung to him all the time? The same girl that couldn't stand being away from him, not even for a day. And now she claims she could handle not being with them for weeks?

"Well, maybe that's how you feel, but I don't think I can go without seeing you for days, let alone weeks."

Emmy absently turned her head a little to the side as she asked, "Why?"

"Cuz I'll miss my cutie pie," he playfully tweaked her freckled nose. "You won't be missing us?"

"Of course I will. But I won't be staying with you guys forever. I have to learn to take care of myself and be more responsible."

"Okay first of all, you're ten, not thirty," Dean reminded her, pulling her into his lap. "So stow the whole I'm-not-five-anymore-and-need-to-be-more-independent-crap, cuz I'm not gonna let you leave us anytime soon."

Emmy settled her arms around his neck. "Not even when I'm fifty and you're almost seventy?"

"No, cuz I'll need someone to take care of _me_ then." He kissed her cheek.

"You don't want me to go to college, marry and have kids one day?"

"That's _all_ I want for you, sweetheart," Dean hugged her closer. "But you're still a kid right now, my baby sister, the one I love to take care of. So please, just stay a kid for a little while longer."

Emmy toyed with his amulet. "If you're taking care of me, who'll be taking care of you?"

"I don't need anyone to take care of me, baby." Dean brushed his nose against her hair, kissing her temple.

"Yes, you do," she protested, tugging at his necklace. "You know, you don't need to wait till you're old for me to take care of you. I can do it now. I can make you soup when you're sick, or look after your wounds and bruises, or even sing to you when you can't sleep."

A warm feeling rushed through Dean's body. A feeling of being loved, a feeling of having someone being there for you. This little girl in his arms had no idea what she did to his heart sometimes.

Dean cupped her chin, pulling her face closer until he could smell her flowery, fresh scent. "You're the sweetest sister on earth, you know that? But I'm the one taking of care you, sweetheart, not the other way around."

"Is it because I'm only ten?"

Dean stroked the soft skin of her chin. "No, it's because I love you too much and you don't deserve that kind of burden."

Dean will never forget the day he smashed the Impala and broke down in front of her. She was the one who picked him up, took care of him. Dean always wanted to kick himself for dropping such a weight on his baby sister. It wasn't fair, she shouldn't have to deal with that kind of hardship. She was only ten for Christ's sakes. He had no care in the world when he was ten, he still had both his parents when he was ten, he had the perfect life when he was ten. His sister had to deal with things he never had to when he was her age. She got to live with the fact that monsters exist, she'd seen traumatic stuff, she suffered from loss, pain and grief. Dean thought she already had to deal enough, no need to add his own problems to the pile.

"I'm just trying to help," she said softly.

And Dean knew that. She reached out to him more than once, trying to engage in a conversation about his thoughts and feelings. And he appreciated the effort, but he didn't have the heart to turn down her help. Instead he always managed to turn the tables, and get her to do the talking instead of him. And every time Emmy would curse herself for falling into his trap. It wasn't like Dean didn't want to talk to her, he just wasn't the person who openly expressed how he felt. He was better at being the one helping others at putting their emotions into words. But being helped was another story.

"And I know that, Emmy. But trust me, you're already helping just by being here with me."

"Is that why you don't want me to stay with uncle Bobby?" she wondered, searching the answer in his eyes.

Dean kissed her forehead, mumbling against her skin, "That's exactly why."

A knock on the door sounded as Sam walked in, carrying a stack of books. "Look whose school books just came in."

Emmy made a sound of annoyance, causing Dean to chuckle.

"I think it's enough to get you going for the next semester," Sam smiled at his sister's scowl. She was adorable.

"Go get packing." Dean lifted her off his lap, patting her butt. "Sam will help."

"Can I bring my roller-skates?" she asked sweetly, batting her long eyelashes as she gave her brother a look that he couldn't turn down.

Dean let out a breath, oh who was he kidding, he could never say no to that face anyway. "Whatever."

Emmy let out a high pitched squeal that reminded him of when she was only three and did nothing else but damage his eardrums with her voice. She grabbed Sam's hand, dragging him to her bedroom.

"What are all these clothes?" Sam asked, pointing at the pile near her dresser.

"Oh, they don't fit me anymore." Emmy dropped to her knees to get her duffel bag under her bed.

"All of 'em?" he asked in disbelief as he picked up a random shirt. It seemed like she only wore this a day ago. He knew she just got a year older but he hadn't really given a thought to the fact that she would also grow physically.

"Yep!" she nodded with a huff as she started to put some stuff in her bag.

"Well looks like we should hit the mall soon," Sam decided, moving to her dresser to help her with packing.

"Will you go with me?" she asked. "I don't wanna go with Dean again."

Sam snorted, amused. "And why's that?" he questioned even though he could guess the answer.

"Cuz he always flirts with the shop-assistants and whatever I pick it's never good enough," she complained with a roll of her eyes. "I remember these cute blue shorts I liked, and he said I couldn't have them. You know why?"

"Lemme guess, they were too short?" Sam suggested.

"Yes! He said they were too short! Off course they're short, they're supposed to be short, it's why they're called _shorts_."

Sam chuckled. "Well I promise to be reasonable."

"That's why you're my favorite brother, but don't tell Dean I said that."

Sam laughed. "That's not what you said when he took you out for ice cream yesterday."

Emmy grabbed a chair to take her clothes from the highest shelf in her closet. "It depends from moment to moment. Sometimes I like you better, and at other times I like Dean better," she said casually. "Hey, if you're going to be _reasonable_ , does that mean you'll buy me a new …"

"A new what?" Sam asked when she suddenly stopped midsentence. "Emmy?" he tried again but there was still no response. Sam turned around to face her and saw why she suddenly went quiet.

Emmy was staring at _Johnnie,_ the teddy bear she got from her father. After more than three weeks, she almost forgot she had put it up there. It brought back many memories and emotions she had thought she'd buried a long time ago. Was it still supposed to be this confronting after almost a month? Was she still not over it?

Emmy had followed Jo's advice and tried not to avoid the subject too much. There were days where she would hang out on the tire swing Bobby fixed for her, and reminisce about all the good times she had with her father. Like that time he thought her to write her name, the long drives where he would let her steer the wheel as she sat on his lap, or how he would always rub his cheek against hers after he had shaved. Those memories, good memories, always left her in tears. But these tears were happy tears and Emmy didn't mind them much.

But seeing the teddy bear was something else. It was a reminder of what happened the day he gave it to her. And Emmy knew she had to stop associating the birthday present with her father's departure. But that was easier said than done.

A strong arm slipped around her waist, squeezing her against a warm, firm body. "Hey," Sam whispered. Even though she was on a chair, he still towered over her but it was less striking. "You okay, honey?"

Emmy didn't trust her voice and merely nodded as she tried hard to keep the tears at bay.

"You don't have to take it with you if you're not ready," Sam told her softly, his large hand rubbing her side up and down.

"I want to …" Emmy's voice trembled, "but there's no room in my bag."

"I'm sure I can squeeze it in mine," Sam offered, brushing some hair from her face.

"Okay," she replied quietly. "Can I bring this too?" She pointed at their father's leather jacket hanging on her door.

Sam replied before he even saw what she was pointing at, "Yeah, of course, honey." He didn't want her to cut their father out of her life, the man still played an important role, whether he was present or not. He would encourage every decision she made to keep their father in her life. He remembered sleeping with his mother's picture under his pillow for years, or listening to Jessica's voice mail just to hear her voice. Sam learned a long time ago that holding the people you love close to you wasn't by having them there physically, it was by keeping them in your mind and heart; closer than that wasn't possible.

Emmy wiped at her eyes even though the tears never got the chance to escape. "Thanks," she mumbled.

"C'mere." Sam engulfed her in his embrace, cradling the back of her head while rubbing her back. "You did the right thing," he whispered in her ear. "I'm really proud of you," he added before kissing the crown of her head.

 **SPN**

The next morning, Emmy was dreading to say goodbye to Bobby and Rumsfeld. She watched as her brothers loaded the car with the help of the older hunter. She was partially happy to be back on the road, in the Impala, the closest thing she got to a home. It felt so good seeing it fixed and rumbling like before. Even the smell was the same – leather, gasoline and that old perfume her father always used to wear.

"I'm really gonna miss you, Rummy," Emmy said as she hugged the dog, burying her face in his neck. Her hands stroked his soft, black fur. "You gonna miss me, too?" As if he understood her, the Rottweiler started licking her face causing her to giggle. "I'll take that as a yes."

"Hey, stop eating my sister's face!" Dean called out. "Emmy, please wash your face before you go."

Emmy rolled her eyes. "Don't listen to him, Rumsfeld," she said into the dog's ear. "He's just jealous cuz I let you eat all my leftovers."

"You ready, darlin'?" Bobby's gruff voice sounded as he walked over to her.

"Not really," she answered honestly.

"Hey, don't give me that look." He crouched down in front of her. "You know I'm just a phone call away. And I told your brothers to drop by whenever they're around."

"Will you still send me candy like you always do?"

"You wouldn't be this sweet if it weren't for all that sugar," he teased. "I even decided to give you some to get you through the first days back on the road."

Emmy's eyes widened as her eyes fell upon the bag he took from his pocket. "Uncle Bobby, I love you so much!"

Bobby almost fell on the ground when she jumped in his arms. "Right back at ya," he chuckled, returning the embrace. "Alright, be good you hear me." He patted her back, kissing her cheek soundly.

Emmy grinned cheekily. "I'm always good."

Bobby snorted. "Says the girl who broke two of my vases, ruined my lawn, and probably consumed a thousand pounds of peanut butter."

Emmy sighed dramatically. "Uncle Bobby, how many times do I have to tell you, it's all Rumsfeld's fault."

Bobby cocked a single eyebrow. "Even the chalk drawings on my walls?"

She clamped her lips shut, trying to stifle a giggle but her blue eyes twinkling in mischief said it all.

"You little rascal." Bobby pinched her sides playfully.

Emmy squealed, squirming in his hold until he let her go. Her cheery laughter ringed in his ears as she ran to the Impala. She waved at him and blew a kiss to Rumsfeld. Dean honked the horn one last time before they drove off.

 **SPN**

Emmy didn't stop waving until her surrogate uncle shrunk into a blurry dot before he entirely disappeared from her view. She blew out a long breath, already impatient to go back. Turning in her seat, she got comfortable by taking off her shoes and stretching her legs in front of her. It was only six in the morning but she still decided to already consume some of the candy Bobby gave to her.

She startled when Metallica suddenly blared through the speakers. She almost forgot the feeling of having the bass rumble through her body.

"Whoo! Listen to her purr!" Dean rolled down the windows, relaxed against his seat and drummed his fingers against the wheel. "Have you ever heard anything so sweet?"

Emmy exchanged a look with Sam. _What's up with him?_

"You know, if you two wanna get a room, just let me know, Dean," Sam commented, watching his brother bob his head to the beat.

Emmy frowned in confusion. "Why would they wanna get a room? You can't fit the Impala in a room, Sammy," she pointed out with a _duh -tone._

Sam decided not to correct her and only nodded, "Yeah, you're absolutely right about that."

"Oh, don't listen to him, baby," Dean patted the dashboard. "He doesn't understand us. And apparently neither does Emmy."

Sam laughed. "You're in a good mood."

Dean simply shrugged. "Why shouldn't I be?"

Sam paused for several seconds, trying to read his brother. "No reason."

"Got my car, got a case, things are looking up," he smiled.

"Wow." Sam's eyebrows shot up. "Give you a couple of severed heads and a pile of dead cows and you're Mister Sunshine."

Dean's only response was to laugh. Sam almost couldn't remember the last time he saw his brother this … happy.

"How far to Red Lodge?" Dean asked, throwing a glance at his sister in the back. "Emmy, gimme some."

Sam looked around for a road sign. "Uh, about another three hundred miles."

"Good," Dean said as his foot hit the gas pedal.

Emmy leaned her arms over the front seat, holding a bag of skittles in her hand. "Promise after I give you this, you won't touch _my_ stash of candy."

"I promise," Dean nodded, already reaching for the bag.

Emmy held it away from him. "Now say it like you mean it."

"I promise," Dean repeated, only dragging the words now.

Emmy narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

"I said I promised." Dean was getting impatient. He and his sister both had a sweet tooth, him maybe even more than her.

"Okay," she relented, handing him the bag.

"Thanks, sweetheart." He winked.

"You want some, too, Sammy?"

"No, I'm good," Sam shook his head. "And may I remind you both that it's not even seven am and you're already eating this crap."

Dean and Emmy shared a look before they shrugged at their brother. "So?"

"Okay that's weird," Sam referred to the synchronous response.

"You're weird," they both muttered under their breath.

 **SPN**

Emmy stared at the sheet of paper lying on the table in front of her in pure stupidity. Was this Spanish or something because she didn't understand a word on it. Oh wait … it _was_ Spanish. Sam had worked out an entire assignment with multiple exercises for her. He had given her until he and Dean got back from their investigation to finish the task. They were currently staying in Montana, doing research on a case concerning decapitated heads and cattle mutilations. The brothers usually went with 'weird' cases, and this one definitely fit the criteria.

"Why do I even need to learn Spanish?" Emmy wondered with a huff. "It's not like I'll ever go to Spain or South America."

Her phone buzzed with an incoming message from Dean, a.k.a. _BATMAN_.

"BE THERE IN 20MIN. BROUGHT FOOD."

Emmy's eyes widened. How was she supposed to explain Sam the blank sheet? Having stared at it for two hours didn't sound like a good excuse. What if she used his laptop to search all the answers on the internet? Yeah, that sounded a lot better. She went to search for the computer but quickly realized that Sam must've taken it with him.

"Dang it," she cursed, lightly kicking the table but it was enough to make her glass of milk tumble. Emmy was fast to steady the drink before it spilled all over her homework. That's when she got a sudden idea. Sam would never know she didn't fill the gaps if he couldn't check it because the sheet was drenched with milk. Now _that_ sounded like a good excuse. Trying to make it look real, Emmy quickly wrote down some random answers, making it seem like she actually did the assignment, before intentionally spilling the milk on it. She poured some more on the words that still looked legible.

"Voila," she smiled, proud of her work. And that was only the easiest part, the hardest part was yet to come, which was lying to her brothers' faces. She could pull it off as long as she avoided eye contact without making it seem suspicious.

 **SPN**

Fifteen minutes later, the keys on the motel door jiggled before her brothers, clad in their suits, entered.

"Hey," Emmy greeted, not looking up from reading her book.

Sam shrugged out of his jacket, kissing the top of her head as he passed behind her. Dean dropped their food on the table as he, too, kissed her. "Hey, cutie pie," was all he said before disappearing in the bathroom with his duffel bag.

"How's the homework coming along?" Sam asked, dropping in a chair at the table.

Emmy chewed on her bottom lip, trying to hide the nervousness. "Uh, yeah, about that …" Not trusting her quivering voice, she simply pointed at the soaked sheet of paper.

Her brother picked it up, holding it up in the light, turning it from side to side as if that would make it better. "What happened?"

"It was an accident," Emmy said, maybe a little too fast.

"It's okay, accidents happen," he ruffled her hair, which only made her feel bad. "I'll make you another one," he decided, and that made her feel even worse.

"Oh, you don't have to Sammy. I can just make the ones in my textbook," she offered, trying not sound too pushy.

Sam only smiled at her, "I don't mind, honey." He pushed one of the plastic bags towards her, "Eat up."

Emmy decided to drop the matter, it was obvious her brother wasn't letting it go. She peeked into the bag, taking out her chicken nuggets when something else caught her attention. "What's this?" she asked as she pulled out a Styrofoam box.

Sam gave her a look. "That's a salad."

"That much I can see. But what am I supposed to do with it?"

"Uh, I don't know. Eat maybe," her brother stated the obvious.

Emmy looked at it with a disgusted expression. "But _why_?"

"Cuz if you want to get taller and stronger, you're gonna have to eat vegetables once in a while." Sam opened the box for her, handing her a plastic fork.

"Dean says it's the _good ol' Winchester genes_ that will take care of that, not rabbit food," Emmy reasoned, picking at the salad.

"Dean also says candy is fruit as long as it tastes like it." Sam rolled his eyes.

Emmy kept staring at her food, poking at the vegetables as if an insect could pop out of it any minute.

"Emmy, honey, stop playing with your food and just eat it." Sam stabbed the fork in her salad and handed it to her.

"Why do I have to eat it and not Dean?"

"Cuz he's already a grown man, and whatever it is these vegetables do, it's probably already too late anyway. I'm sure his health is beyond repair."

Emmy giggled. "You're lucky he didn't hear you say that."

"Heard him say what?" Dean emerged from the bathroom, a cloud of fog following him out. He was in the process of drying his hair with a towel before carelessly throwing it on his bed.

"Oh, nothing," she answered with a mischievous, dimpled smile.

"Mhm, sure." Dean took a seat next to her and cupped her chin, squishing her cheeks together. "And stop being so damn cute all the time."

"No' my fau't," she mumbled around his hand.

Dean smiled. "Blame the good ol' Winchester genes." He released her face, wiping some sauce off her chin with his thumb.

"So how's the case going?" Emmy asked, nibbling on a piece of radish. She decided she didn't like the taste and spat it right out, earning a disapproving look from Sam.

Dean however eyed her with sympathy. "Well, it's obvious we're dealing with vampires."

"Did you know that a mermaid can turn into a vampire?" She suddenly spoke up.

Bot Sam and Dean stopped mid-shew.

"It's true. But instead of sucking blood, they suck the life out of their prey," she stated matter-of-factly.

"And you know that how?" Dean cocked a questioning eyebrow.

"I read it in a book at Bobby's," she shrugged.

"Those are not meant for little girls, Emmy," Dean shook his head.

"I'm not a little girl," she protested.

"Fine," he sighed, "they're not meant for _ten year olds._ "

"What did you read when you were ten?" she asked, taking another bite of her salad.

Sam chuckled. "Things ten year old boys shouldn't read, or should I say _watch._ "

"Shuddup." Dean threw his napkin at his brother's face.

"How do vampires shave when they can't see themselves in the mirror?" Emmy wondered.

Dean put his burger down, looking as though he was thinking very hard.

"They shave each other?" Sam suggested.

"That's gay," was Dean's instant reply.

"And if a vampire bites a zombie, will it turn into a zombie, or will the zombie turn into a vampire?"

Dean who had reached for his burger, put it down again. He took a moment to think before giving up. "Okay, stop your questions. You're giving me a headache."

"That's cuz you're not used to using your upstairs brain," Sam muttered under his breath.

Emmy laughed, covering her mouth.

"Oh, Sammy. You crack me up sometimes," Dean replied sarcastically. "And you, stop laughing." Emmy shrieked when he pinched her thigh.

"So we should probably do some research on those bloodsuckers."

"Like hit the local bar kinda research?" Sam proposed.

"Does that mean I'll have to stay at the motel again?" Emmy pouted. Being used to the various things she could do at Bobby's, staying at the motel meant endless boredom and extra homework.

"You can stay in the Impala," Dean offered.

Sam shot his brother a look of disagreement. "Uh no, she's not. She should stay here and go to bed like every other kid."

"It's just a few hours," Dean asserted.

"Exactly why she should stay here," he discussed.

Emmy watched her brothers closely. Her eyes switching between them. She didn't want them to fight because of her. "It's okay, I can stay – "

"No," Dean cut her off, "You're coming."

"Why're you suddenly making a problem out of this?" Sam wanted to know.

"I'm not," he defended. "I just don't think it's safe leaving her alone an unprotected."

"She was just fine this afternoon," Sam pointed out.

"That's different. It was during the day. Nights are different," Dean reasoned. "Who knows what could happen."

And that's when Sam knew what was really going on. His brother was scared, scared of losing the one person he loved more than life itself. If there's one thing Dean learned since losing their father, it's that you keep people safe by keeping them close. He wasn't going to take any chances when it came to his sister's safety. He'd rather have her in sight all time, than risk leaving her alone for a second only to regret it later. There was no saying what those demons were capable of. They have been able to find his family, regardless of all the protection. Who's to say they wouldn't find them again and finish what they had started.

"Fine," Sam relented, fixing his brother with a pointed look. The only reason he gave in is because Sam understood his brother's motives. It was too soon to be proving him otherwise, Dean wouldn't change his mind anyway. But Sam reminded himself to make his brother realize that keeping their loved ones physically close wasn't always the solution. It's how they lost their parents … and Jessica.

Emmy was confused. She knew there was a part of the conversation exchanged between her brothers through their minds. Their eyes said it all, but she didn't know _what_ they said. She hated when they did that, talk about her like she wasn't right there sitting between them.

She sighed, stabbing her salad with her fork. _Guess things never do change._

 **SPN**

Standing between her two big brothers, leaning against the Impala, Emmy couldn't help but glare at the man in front of her. Gordon. She couldn't really explain why, but something was off about him. He sent some strange vibes but Emmy couldn't put her finger on it.

She stifled another yawn, hugging Dean's warm arm as she rested her head against him. It was almost ten pm and after waiting half an hour in the car while her brothers asked around in the bar, she was getting tired.

"The Winchesters," Gordon whistled as he pulled out his arsenal from his trunk, including a large hook. "I can't believe it. Looks like you've al been beaten by the handsome stick, and you're as pretty as a picture," he winked at Emmy who felt a shiver going up her spine. "You know I met your old man once? Hell of a guy. Great hunter. I heard he passed. I'm sorry."

Emmy merely nodded. She didn't feel as if he actually meant it, he might as well have told her what he ate for breakfast. There would probably be no difference in his tone. Another reason why she should keep a watchful eye on him.

"It's big shoes." He propped his arm on the hood of his car. "But from what I hear you guys fill 'em. Great trackers, good in a tight spot – "

"You seem to know a lot about our family," Dean interrupted with his hands tucked in his jacket, his stance guarded.

Gordon huffed a laugh. "Word travels fast. You know how hunters talk."

"No, we don't, actually," Dean's eyes narrowed, sounding challenging.

Gordon leveled him with the same stare, "I guess there's a lot your dad never told you, huh?"

Sam looked between the two, sensing some tension. "So, um," he cleared his throat, "so those two vampires, they were yours, huh?"

Gordon blinked before detaching his gaze from Dean, addressing Sam. "Yep. Been here two weeks."

"Did you check out that Barker farm?" Dean questioned.

"It's a bust," he sighed heavily. "Just a bunch of hippie freaks. Though they could kill you with that patchouli smell alone."

Dean nodded as he took in the information. "Where's the nest, then?"

"I got this one covered," Gordon waved him off. "Look, don't get me wrong. It's a real pleasure meetin' you fellas. But I've been on this thing over a year. I killed a fang back in Austin, tracked the nest all the way up here. I'll finish it."

"We could help," Dean offered, earning a look from Sam.

Gordon smiled, wetting his lips. "Thanks, but uh, I'm kind of a go-it-alone type of guy."

Dean shifted on his feet. "Come on, man, I've been itching for a hunt."

Gordon opened his car door, throwing him an apologizing glance. "Sorry. But hey, I hear there's a Chupacabra two states over. You go ahead and knock yourselves out." He got in the car and rolled down his window. "It was real good meeting you, though. I'll buy you a drink on the flip side."

Emmy watched as he drove off and the unsettling feeling in her stomach eased. She didn't like the man, nor the fact that her brother seemed to be jonesing for a hunt with Gordon of all people. So when Dean decided to follow him and made her stay in the car while he and Sam took care of the vampires, Emmy felt like this was the beginning of something that wouldn't end good. And she was right, because when her brothers came back, she nearly threw up from all the blood splattered on Dean's face and clothes.

For a moment, his eyes were so void and emotionless, it shocked her to the core. She swore that wasn't her brother but just someone wearing his face. It reminded her of the shape shifter, but this was different, this wasn't someone wearing his skin, this was Dean, the one and only. In the blink of an eye, the emptiness in her brother's green eyes dissolved and the old him was back. It happened so fast, Emmy was sure she would've missed it if she had blinked.

 **SPN**

Sitting around a table at the smoke-free bar, a waitress served them another round. Dean reached for his wallet when Gordon put up his hand. "No, no, I got it," he insisted after Dean offered to pay. He raised his glass with a proud smirk. "Another one bites the dust."

"That's right," Dean toasted.

Sam sat back in his chair with one arm wrapped around his baby sister who was on the verge of entering dreamland. It was past midnight and she should've been in her bed sleeping, not celebrating how her brother and Gordon slaughtered vampires. Sam couldn't believe Dean, he wasn't acting like himself. It seemed like Gordon was having a bad influence on him and Sam still couldn't wrap his mind around the fact that his brother got swayed so easily.

"Dean," Gordon laughed, "you gave that big-ass fang one hell of a haircut, my friend."

Dean licked his lips, putting down his drink. "Thank you."

"That was beautiful. Absolutely beautiful." Gordon's eyes twinkled as if he was thinking of the best moment of his life.

"Yep," Dean agreed. He shot a glance at his siblings sitting next to him. Emmy's face was buried against Sam's chest, her arm circling his stomach. Dean reached for her hand, thinking she was asleep, when she suddenly pulled away, tucking her hand in the inside of Sam's jacket. Dean simply ignored the action and threw his brother a look. "You all right, Sammy?"

Sam didn't hide his displeasure and only replied with an, "I'm fine."

Gordon chuckled. "Well, lighten up a little, Sammy."

If looks could kill, Gordon would've already been buried with the glare he got from Sam. "They're the only ones who get to call me that."

"Okay. No offense meant." Gordon leant back against his chair. "Just celebrating a little. Job well done."

Sam's arms tightened around his sleeping sister, his thumb absently stroking the exposed skin of her waist where her shirt had ridden up. "Right. Well, decapitations aren't my idea of a good time, I guess," was his snarky retort.

"Oh, come one, man, it's not like it was human," Gordon reasoned, trying to lift up his spirits. "You've gotta have a little more fun with your job."

Dean tapped the table in agreement. "See? That's what I've been trying to tell him. You could learn a thing or two from this guy."

Sam didn't spare his brother a glance. "Yeah I bet I could," he muttered under his breath. "Look, I'm not gonna bring you guys down. I'm just gonna go back to the motel."

Dean sat up straighter in his chair. "You sure?"

"Yeah," he nodded, helping Emmy to stand. The ten year old swayed, her eyes barely open, as she fell back against her brother. "She's conked out, I'm gonna put her to bed." Sam lifted her up in his arms with ease.

Dean helped draping her jacket over her, quickly kissing the back of her head before sitting back down. "Sammy? Remind me to beat that buzzkill out of you later, all right?"

Sam caught the keys and bit back a comeback. It wasn't worth it anyway. He just wanted to get away from that Gordon guy and hopefully after tonight, his brother would come back to his senses.

"Something I said?" Gordon broke the silence as he watched Sam leaving with Emmy's blonde, wavy hair draped over his back.

"Nah, nah, he just gets that way sometimes." It wouldn't be the first time his brother was 'PMS-ing' again, but Dean decided not to mind it too much. "Tell you what. Match you quarters for the next round."

 **SPN**

It was well over midnight and the bar was getting more crowded. Some men were playing a pool, a couple were drinking something at the table in the corner, and q group of friends were at the bar laughing about something. At the center, Dean and Gordon were on their fifth round, still talking.

Dean leaned forward in his seat. "So, I pick up this crossbow. And I hit that ugly sucker with a silver-tipped arrow right in his heart. Sammy's waiting in the car with Emmy who was just a baby, and uh, me and my Dad take the thing into the woods, burn it to a crisp. I'm sitting there and looking into the fire, and I'm thinking to myself, I'm sixteen years old. Most kids my age are worried about pimples, prom dates. I'm seeing things that they'll never even know. Never even dream of." Dean leaned back against his chair, running a hand down his face. "So right then, I just sort of –"

Gordon nodded knowingly, tapping his fingers against his bottle of beer. "Embraced the life?"

Dean looked up at him, recognition flashing in his eyes. "Yeah." It didn't happen a lot that he came across someone who understood him, got him so well. "How'd you get started?"

Gordon rubbed his chin, his eyes fixed on his beer. "First time I saw a vampire I was barely eighteen. Home alone with my sister. I hear the window break in her room. I grab my dad's gun, run in, try to get it off her. Too late. So I shoot the damn thing. Which of course is about as useful as snapping it with a rubber band. It rushes me, picks me up, flings me across the room, knocks me out cold." Gordon went quiet for a second as he met Dean's eyes again. "When I wake up, the vampire's gone, my sister's gone."

Dean blinked. "And then?"

Gordon let out a long sigh. "Then ... try explaining that one to your family. So I left home. And then bummed around looking for information: how you track 'em, how you kill 'em. And I found that fang - it was my first kill."

Dean dropped his gaze to his beer, taking a long draw. He had lost his parents, but he couldn't imagine losing one if his siblings. His parents took care of him, and now that they weren't there anymore, he learnt to take care of himself. But Sam and Emmy, he was the one looking after them. He couldn't imagine losing one of them, it would break his heart, more than it already was.

"Sorry about your sister."

"Yeah." A small smile adorned Gordon's face at the memory of his sister. "She was beautiful. I can still see her, you know? The way she was." He lifted a finger from his beer and pointed at Dean. "I noticed you got a real looker too. You better keep a tight rein on her. If she's already turning heads now, there's no saying how it'll be like when she gets older."

"And don't I know it." Dean's lips formed a tight smile. "I believe it's God's way of telling me karma is a bitch."

Gordon chuckled gruffly. "So, it's gotta be rough." At Dean's questioning look, he elaborated, "I mean you Dad."

Dean picked at the label on his bottle. "Yeah, you know. He was just one of those guys. Took some terrible beatings, just kept coming. So you're always thinking to yourself, he's indestructible. He'll always be around, nothing can kill my dad. Then just like that," he snapped his fingers, "he's gone. I can't talk about this to Sammy. You know, I gotta keep my game face on. Emmy, bless her little heart, she's trying to reach out to me, but I can't put that kinda load on her." Dean cleared his throat, composing himself. "But, uh, the truth is I'm not handling it very well. Feel like I have this –"

"Hole inside you?" Gordon filled the gap. "And it just gets bigger and bigger and darker and darker? Good. You can use it. Keeps you hungry. Trust me. There's plenty out there needs killing, and this'll help you do it." Gordon made sure he got Dean's attention, trying to get through him. "Dean, it's not a crime to need your job."

 **SPN**

Back at the motel, Sam gently put Emmy in bed. He carefully took her shoes and jacket off before shrugging her out of her jeans. Emmy moaned in her sleep when he pulled the covers up, tucking her in. He brushed her hair from her face, leaning down to kiss her temple.

Sam left the lights out and only turned on the small lamp from the kitchenette. He leaned against the counter and decided he had to ask around about Gordon. His alarm bell went off whenever he was around that man. Sam scrolled through his contacts and found the perfect person to ask.

" _Harvelle's Roadhouse_ ," Ellen's voice greeted.

Sam could hear the customers of the bar in the background. "Hey, Ellen, uh, Sam Winchester."

" _Sam, it's good to hear from you."_ Sam could practically hear her smile. " _You boys are okay, aren't you? How's the little one doing_?"

"Yeah," Sam nodded, "everything's fine. Emmy's doing good too, I just put her to bed. Got a question."

" _Yeah, shoot."_

"You ever run across a guy named Gordon Walker?" Sam questioned.

 _"_ _Yeah, I know Gordon. He's a real good hunter,"_ she answered. " _Why are you asking, sweetie?"_

Sam scratched at the nape of his neck. "Well, we ran into him on a job and we're kinda working with him, I guess."

" _Don't do that, Sam,"_ she responded sternly.

Sam frowned. "I thought you said he was a good hunter."

" _Yeah, and Hannibal Lecter's a good psychiatrist,"_ she snorted. _"Look, he is dangerous to everyone and everything around him. If he's working on a job you boys just let him handle it and you move_ _on._ "

"Ellen – " Sam started saying.

" _No, Sam,"_ she cut him off firmly. _"Just listen to what I'm telling you, okay?"_

"Right, okay." Sam swallowed thickly. "Thanks Ellen."

" _Don't mention it. Tell your siblings I said hi."_

"Will do." Sam hung up and pinched the bridge of his nose between his forefinger and thumb. He just knew his suspicion was right. If Ellen was adamant on staying away from Gordon, how must he really be if he showed his true colors?

"Sammy?"

Sam snapped out of his train of thoughts and walked over to his sister. "I'm sorry honey, did I wake you up?"

Emmy rubbed her eyes with her fists. "It's okay." She yawned. "Where's Dean?"

Her brother sat down next to her, his hand smoothing down her hair. "He's still at the bar with Gordon."

Emmy snuggled closer against him. "I don't like him. He seems … off."

"Well I just got off on the phone with Ellen. She warned me about him." Sam leaned against the headboard, stretching his long legs in front of him while letting his sister use his arm as a pillow. "She said to stay away from him."

"Why?" Emmy asked, yawning again.

Sam played with a strand of her hair. "Something about him being dangerous."

"And Dean's with him right now?" Emmy's eyebrow furrowed in concern.

"He'll be back before you know it, don't worry about him," Sam comforted her, rubbing her arm up and down.

"I don't like how Gordon seems to have a bad influence on Dean," Emmy commented quietly. "Did you see his face when he killed that vampire?"

"Yeah." Sam had seen it and he didn't think he was ever going to forget that image. When he made eye contact with his brother at that exact moment, he swore he saw right through him. He could see passed that fake façade Dean always pulled up.

"I thought he was getting better, you know. I thought he was dealing with everything," Emmy said.

"Apparently he's not," was Sam's reply.

"Will he ever get over it?"

Sam looked down at her, seeing the genuine concern flashing in her blue eyes. "He just needs time … and us. But he'll get over it one day."

Emmy went quiet, relishing the touch of her brother's fingers combing through her hair. "Sammy?"

"Hmm."

"The milk spilling on my homework wasn't really an accident. I did I on purpose cuz I didn't want to make it, thinking I could get out of it if I ruined it."

Sam chuckled. "I knew that."

"You did," Emmy sounded surprised.

"Emmy, you're not exactly good at lying, you suck," he playfully poked her.

"Are you mad?"

"You think you're the only kid who tried to get away from doing their homework?" Sam winked.

"No, but I'm probably the only kid who can't lie, not even if my life depended on it," she grumbled.

"You don't hear me complaining," Sam smirked.

"Of course you're not," she couldn't help but roll her eyes.

"Go to sleep, honey, it's way past your bedtime."

"I haven't brushed my teeth yet, and I have to pee." Emmy crawled out of bed, starting for the bathroom.

"Don't lock the door," he reminded her.

"Yeah, yeah," she waved him off, closing the door.

Sam suddenly heard something coming from outside. He didn't pay too much attention to it, but when he heard it again, now closer to their door, he decided to check it out. He opened the door, looking around but didn't see anything that should worry him. He was about to close the door again when a dark figure jumped him. Sam knocked the attacker down, not noticing another one rising up behind him, knocking him out cold with a heavy punch against the back of his head.

 **SPN**

Emmy emerged from the bathroom, shivering when a cold breeze blew against her bare legs. She noticed the door wide open and tensed. "Sammy?" she called out, getting no answer. She cautiously moved to the door, looking outside. "Sammy!" she yelled again. "Sammy!"

Closing the door, making sure to lock it, she immediately grabbed her phone calling her brother. There was a buzzing sound coming from the kitchen and she realized he had left his phone there. Emmy decided to call her other brother, Dean, instead. When he picked up, she instantly cried, "Dean!"

" _Emmy? What are you still doing up?"_

"Dean, Sammy's gone!" Emmy started pacing the motel room, her hands shaking and her voice quivering.

" _Wait what? What do you mean he's gone? Emmy where are you?"_ Dean sounded alert.

"I was in the bathroom and he was lying on the bed and then I came back and he was gone and the door was open but nobody was there and then I yelled his name but there was no reply and then I called him but he left his phone on the table and – "

" _Take a deep breath, sweetheart,"_ Dean interrupted her ranting. " _You sure he didn't go out to get a drink or something?"_

"No," she insisted, tears prickling her eyes. "He would've told me, or at least closed the door. Besides, if he did get a drink he should've been back by now."

" _Okay well stay put, lock the door and windows. Don't forget the salt lines,"_ Dean ordered, moving around as he got ready to leave, " _Under any circumstances, do_ not _move, you hear me Emmy?"_

"I'm not going anywhere," she promised, already sitting on her bed. "Please hurry."

" _l'll be there in ten minutes, sweetheart."_

 **SPN**

Emmy frantically bit at her fingernails as she held a close eye on her phone and Sam's, hoping it would ring. She held her breath when she heard muffled voices behind the door. A part of her hoped it was Sam while the other part feared it'd be someone or some _thing_ that took her brother. There was no way Sam would disappear just like that without letting her know something, it was so unlike him.

The door opened, revealing two towering shadows. Someone flipped the light switch on and Emmy blew out a breath in relief when she recognized her oldest brother.

"Dean!" She flew out of her bed, tugging at his sleeve as she dragged him back outside. "You have to go look for him! He was taken, Dean, I'm telling you!"

"Emmy, hey, calm down." Dean closed the door behind him, pulling her back inside.

Only now noticing the second person, Emmy glared at Gordon as he walked in, taking a seat at the table, instantly making himself at home.

"What's he doing here?" she whispered through gritted teeth.

"Hey, be nice," Dean gave her pointed look, guiding her back to her bed.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm putting you back to bed," he stated as if it was obvious.

Emmy snatched her arm from his hand, refusing to get in bed. "Are you nuts! Sammy's gone and you're worried about me getting my beauty sleep?"

Dean sighed. "Sweetheart, I don't have time for this, just get in bed."

"No," she firmly protested. "What if something got him? What if he's in danger? What if it's those vampires?"

"Car's parked outside. Probably went for a walk. Seems like the take-a-walk type," Gordon suddenly spoke up, casually resting his feet on the table.

Emmy shot him daggers. "No one's talking to you."

"Hey, that's enough," Dean sounded stern. "What's going on with you?"

" _Me_? What's wrong with _you!_?" Emmy demanded, taking a step back from her brother. "Sammy just disappeared out of the blue, and you're acting as if he just went to get some air. Aren't you worried?"

Dean crouched down in front of her, trying to approach her warily. "He's a big boy, alright. I'm sure he's fine – "

"How would you know," she cut him off.

"I just do, okay. I'll give him an hour, if he isn't back by then, I promise we'll look for him," Dean compromised.

Emmy couldn't believe her brother's words. He wasn't supposed to be so cool, he wasn't supposed to wait for an hour, he wasn't supposed to be so unmoved about it. Emmy threw a glance at Gordon who winked at her again. She swore if she could she would've beaten that smug smile off his face a long time ago.

"You gonna get back to sleep?" Dean asked gently.

Emmy crawled in bed, sitting up and crossing her arms over her flat chest. "Not until Sammy's back."

Dean let out a heavy breath through his nose. "Have it your way."

Emmy watched him out of the corner of her eye as he stood back up, joining Gordon. For the next half an hour she listened as they sat around the table, discussing strategy over a map. How could her brother even think straight while Sam was practically AWOL? It was getting harder by the minute to stay up, but Emmy refused to give in. The clock was ticking too slow for her liking, the only thing she could think of where the horrible things that could be happening to her brother right now while her other stupid brother was too busy talking to a-hole Gordon.

She noticed how the hunter would occasionally throw her a glance whenever Dean wasn't looking, and Emmy would be lying if she said it didn't make her nervous. It didn't bode well with her the way he would smirk at her, his eyes lingering on her necklace. It was almost as if he could see right through her, as if he knew something. And for the first time, Emmy didn't feel safe. Not even with her brother around because it seemed that whatever Gordon said to Dean, it changed him somehow.

The door suddenly flew open and a panting Sam entered.

"Sammy!" Emmy jumped into his arms, hugging him around the waist with all her strength.

"Where have you been?" Dean questioned, sounding accusing.

"Can I talk to you alone?" Sam shot his brother a pointed a look, the one that said he had something important to say.

Dean considered his brother's words before turning to Gordon. "You mind keeping an eye on her while we – "

"No, she's coming with us," Sam interjected. "Go get your shoes, honey."

Sam didn't want his sister anywhere near that man, let alone leave her with him in a room without one of them around. The fact that his brother suggested it, already proved that Dean was either blind for not noticing how distrustful Gordon was, or he was already under the hunter's spell.

Dean grabbed Emmy by her shoulder, stopping her in her tracks. "I said, she's staying here," he repeated through clenched teeth, glaring at Sam.

"Hey, man." Gordon cleared his throat, pulling Sam's attention. "You can go with an easy mind. I got it."

Sam pointed a warning finger at him. "You so much as talk to her and you're dead," he threatened menacingly.

Gordon put his arms up in surrender. "Roger that."

"We'll be right back," Dean said before closing the door.

Emmy was fuming. "How dare they," she muttered under her breath.

"Watch out or you'll have steam comin' out of your ears," Gordon teased.

"Shut up," Emmy spat.

Gordon grinned, infuriating her more. "Keep those claws away kitty cat."

"What part of _you so much as talk to her, and you're dead,_ don't you understand?" she snapped, referring to her brother's threat.

"The _dead_ part, how exactly is your brother gonna kill me?"

Emmy perched herself on her bed, scooting against the wall, as far away from Gordon. "I hope by chopping you in half while shaving away your skin with a rusty cheese grater."

"Ouch," he chuckled.

Avoiding eye contact, she decided to play something on her Nintendo to keep busy and ignore the giant ugly monster in the room. Emmy was glad she didn't hear his voice anymore, he was seriously getting on her nerves. _In a few minutes, Sammy and Dean will be back and I'll never have to see that jerk's face again,_ she told herself as she played her game.

Several minutes passed and Emmy dared to take a peek at what Gordon was doing. He was hunched over a book, reading it with a concentrated expression. Emmy didn't think much of it until she recognized the familiar leather cover of her father's journal.

"Hey!" she exclaimed, rushing to snatch the book from his hands. She wasn't even allowed to read this book, and he just thought it was okay to read something so personal? "What do you think you're doing?!"

Gordon said nothing and only smiled, his lips growing wider when his gaze fell on her necklace. "I knew there was somethin' special 'bout you."

Emmy didn't like the way he looked at her. She felt like a prey, and he was the hunter. When Gordon suddenly rose to his feet, the chair scraped against the wooden floor. He took a small step forward, causing her to take one back.

"So there's more than just the pretty face, huh?"

Emmy hugged the journal close to her chest, her eyes never leaving the hunter. There were times where she thought of the things supernatural creatures would do to her if they ever discover the nature of her true soul, but it never crossed her mind what a human being would do.

"I-I don't know what you're talking about." Emmy cursed herself for letting her voice tremble like that. She didn't want to appear weak or scared. It irritated her that if the man decided to attack, she had no clue how to defend herself. She wished she had some basic fight moves she could use, but the only thing she had to protect herself were her brothers … and they weren't there to save her this time.

Gordon laughed, showing off his pearly whites, a shrill contrast against his dark skin. "So that little butterfly dangling around your neck is the only thing hiding your soul?" He took another bigger step. "What happens if I take it off?"

Emmy's hand automatically went to her necklace, holding it protectively. "I guess you'll never know," she cocked a single eyebrow, challengingly.

"So you got spunk huh," he laughed again, inching closer to her.

Emmy put up her hand. "Stay back."

"Or what?" he taunted. "You're gonna chop me in half and skin me with a rusty cheese grater?"

"I swear I'll scream if you get any closer," she threatened, knowing that if she yelled loud enough, it'll be enough to alert the entire motel.

"Your brothers aren't gonna save you this time, kitty cat."

Before she could react, he lunged at her, covering her mouth with his hand while he trapped her in his arms. Emmy's screams were muffled as she flailed her limbs about, struggling against his hold. Gordon took out a needle from his pocket and Emmy's eyes widened in panic when he inserted the needle in her arm. Tears rolled down her cheeks freely as her blood filled the little tube. The whole thing only lasted a couple seconds but it seemed like an eternity to her. When Gordon was done, he dragged her to the bathroom, but not after she bit him hard in his hand.

"Why you little bitch," he spewed, dropping her on the cold tiles and locking the door.

Emmy banged her fists against the door, yelling for him to open up but she knew it was too late when she heard the slam of the door. Turning her back against the door, she slid to the ground, tucking her head against her knees, crying her eyes out.

 **SPN**

When the boys entered the motel room, the sight in front of them instantly made them go on red alert. The table and chairs were knocked over and their father's journal was lying on the floor.

"What the hell?" Sam mumbled.

"Emmy!" Dean instantly called after their baby sister. "Emmy!"

" _In here!"_ her young voice sounded from the bathroom as she hit the door with the palm of her hands.

The brothers immediately started fiddling with the lock, trying to open it as they rattled the door.

"Sonuvabitch took the key with him," Dean growled. "Emmy, baby, stand back!" He counted to three before he and Sam slammed into the door.

Pushing past the broken pieces, Dean reached out and grabbed his sister, hoisting her up in his arms. Emmy cried into his shoulder, her body shaking like a leaf.

"I-it was G-Gordon, h-he's the o-one, h-h-he tried to-o – "

"Shh," Dean cradled the back of her head, kissing the side of her face. "It's okay, you're safe now. I got you."

"You believe me now?" Sam leveled his brother with an _I-told-you-so-_ look.

There were no words that could express how guilty Dean felt. How could he be so stupid and oblivious? Was he that desperate and lost not to notice how malevolent Gordon really was? And that wasn't even worse, what's worse is that he got carried away to the point he let that bastard close enough to hurt the only thing he lived for.

Dean's arms tightened around Emmy's small form, his face buried in her hair. She stiffened in his arms, wincing, and Dean instantly knew something was up. He put her down to her feet, not letting go of her.

"Emmy what did he do to you."

Emmy was momentarily taken aback by her brother's murderous tone. She almost forgot how overprotective and possessive he could get.

"Is that blood?" Sam crouched down next to her, holding her arm up.

Dean's nostrils flared in pure anger. He cupped her chin, making sure she was looking at him. "Emmy, I'm only gonna ask this once. What. Did. He. Do. To. You."

Sam noticed she was still shaken up about it and their brother's fierce stare probably wasn't helping in any way. He decided to choose a more docile approach and gently grabbed her by the waist, turning her towards him.

"Emmy, honey," he started softly, "you don't have to be scared anymore, alright. We won't let him get anywhere near you again, we promise." Sam wiped away her tears, tucking some hair behind her ear. "You wanna tell us what happened?"

Emmy took a shaky breath, managing to stop the sobs, except for the occasional tremors and hiccups. "I-I caught him reading D-daddy's journal, so I took it away. H-he said he knew I was s-special, a-an asked about the necklace."

"Did he hurt you?" Dean interrupted.

"Dean," Sam glared, telling him to shut up with only one look. "Go on, honey."

"A-and then he just stuck a needle in my arm, t-taking my blood." Emmy's eyes started watering again, her hand going to her arm.

"He did what!" Dean practically roared, causing her to flinch.

"Dean!" Sam warned again as he inspected her arm. "Did he hurt you anywhere else, honey?"

"My ribs hurt," she said quietly, lifting her shirt up. There was a bruise forming on her stomach and side where Gordon had held her too tight.

Dean mumbled a string of curse words that made Emmy even blush.

"I'm sure we got something for that in our medkit," Sam reassured her. It took everything in him to stay this calm and collected, while he was boiling on the inside. It was already bad enough when she hurt herself, let alone when someone else dared to put their hands on their baby sister. "Is there more?" he asked with a hint of trepidation, he didn't think he could handle seeing more bruises on her.

"N-no," she shook her head, her hair swinging back and forth. "He just locked me up in the b-bathroom before he left."

"You think he went after them?" Sam asked his brother, holding Emmy close as he rubbed her back.

"Probably." Dean rubbed his eyes with the heel of his hands. "If we find him – _when_ we find him, I swear I'll beat the life out of that dickhead with my bare hands."

Sam didn't say anything, not really disagreeing on that one.

From resting her head against her brother's shoulder, Emmy noticed something missing on the table. "The car keys are gone," she pointed out.

"He must've snaked them," Sam said as he stood up with his sister safely in his arms.

"Oh, like hurting my baby wasn't enough, he has the balls to sabotage my other baby," Dean's jaw flexed as he stormed to the door like a bull going for the red rag, "I swear that guy has a death wish."

 **SPN**

The sun was up when Emmy woke up in the backseat of the Impala. She could see the two heads belonging to her brothers in the front, feel the familiar rumble of the car and hear Metallica play in the background. She shifted, biting her lip when a jolt of pain shot up through her midsection. She looked down, lifting up her shirt to find that someone had wrapped some gauze around her stomach and ribs.

She didn't remember much from the previous night, she was exhausted. She recalled being carried to the Impala which they had to hotwire, much to Dean's dismay. Then Sam tried to get her to take a painkiller, which resulted into a fuss, because they knew damn well how much she hated pills. Her brother ended up crushing the pill in some water before she swallowed it down. And everything after that was just blurry.

Emmy winced as she sat up, resting her head in her hands. She groaned, _so that's how a headache feels?_ She swore never to annoy her brothers again when they complained about a headache.

"How you feeling, cutie pie?" Dean was the first to notice her getting up.

"Like I got hit by a train," she mumbled in her hands.

"Here," Sam handed her a bottle of juice, "this ought to make you feel better."

"Thanks." Emmy took a sip, instantly coughing from the disgusting taste. " _Yuck_! What is this?"

"It's a mix of different herbs. It kicks in fast, you'll feel the difference in no time," he smiled at her.

Emmy wiped her tongue on her sleeve, trying to get rid of the bitterness.

"We're here," Dean announced as he pulled up at a deserted farmhouse. Gordon's red truck was parked in the old barn which was a sign that they were in the right location.

"I'll wait in here," Emmy told them as she started to lay down again.

"That's not gonna happen." Dean got out of the car, opening her side of the door. "Let's go."

"I don't wanna get anywhere near that guy again," she refused.

"Trust me, neither do I." Dean kneeled down in front of her, helping her with her chucks. "I just don't trust this place, and who knows what other tricks he got up his sleeve." Besides, Dean wasn't planning on losing her from his sight ever again. Especially not after tonight. He grabbed her hand, pulling her out of the Impala. "You stay close to either Sam or I, and let us do the talking, alright?"

"Got it," she nodded firmly. It's not like she had anything to say to Gordon … or maybe she did but she was sure it would earn her a mouthwash with a bar of soap.

With Dean in front of her and Sam following close behind, Emmy felt like being sandwiched between two brick walls, not that she minded. The floor creaked under their steps as they entered the desolate farmhouse.

Gordon dipped his knife into a jar of some dead men's blood. He circled around Lenore who was tied to a chair at the table. She looked sickly pale, covered in beads of sweat, her hair matted against her face. She eyed the knife with terrified eyes, her breathing shallow. Gordon sliced the knife across her chest, resulting in a painful groan from Lenore. At that moment the Winchester siblings entered.

Gordon smiled, opening his arms in greeting. "Sam, Dean," he looked down at Emmy who had hidden partially behind her brother, "and kitty cat. Come on in."

Dean's hand tightened around his sister's. Lacking self-control was never an issue, but now he was one second away from showing this guy his fists … repeatedly. "Hey, Gordon. What's going on?" he tried to sound casual, but his tone came out forced.

Gordon paced behind the tied vampire. "Just poisoning Lenore here with some dead man's blood." He lowered his head next to Lenore's, speaking to her like she was just a child, "She's going to tell us where all her little friends are, aren't you?"

Emmy was shocked and repulsed at the same time. She never thought to have sympathy towards creatures sucking human blood, or animal's in this case, until now. She was itching to release the poor woman, no matter what she was. She was innocent, she did nothing wrong, she didn't deserve this at all.

Gordon noticed the ten year old watching Lenore with pure compassion in her eyes. "I forgot to thank you," he said, drawing Emmy's attention. "I wouldn't have caught her if it weren't for your blood."

Emmy's expression fell, a sudden feeling of immense guilt washed over her. This suffering, bleeding woman in front of her wouldn't have been tortured by Gordon's hands if she hadn't let him overpower her so easily. This was partly her fault, this was on her too.

"I swear, just the smell alone got her acting like a moth to a flame." He winked at Emmy, taking a step towards her. "I owe you one."

"Hey back off!" Dean threatened.

Emmy felt Sam's warm hands on her shoulders, pulling her against his hard chest with Dean's hand still firmly in hers.

Gordon kept his distance and soaked his knife back in the blood. "Wanna help? Grab a knife. I was just about to start in on the fingers." He proceeded to drag the knife across Lenore's arm, her dark veins tracing away from the cut.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Dean protested. "Hey, let's all just chill out, huh?"

Gordon looked at him evenly. "I'm completely chill," he replied monotonously.

"Gordon," Sam tried, using his smooth voice, "put the knife down." He slowly took a step towards Gordon but Dean stopped him with a hand on his chest.

Gordon smirked. "Sounds like it's Sam here who needs to chill."

Sam shrugged off his brother's hand, not breaking eye contact with the hunter. "Just step away from her, all right?"

"You're right. I'm wasting my time here." Gordon dropped the knife, letting it clatter against the table. "This bitch will never talk. Might as well put her out of her misery." He hovered his hand over the multiple knifes on the table, going for a much larger knife, eliciting a shaky gasp from Emmy. He looked at her, "I just sharpened it, so it's completely humane," he explained as if to put her mind at ease.

Sam stepped up, blocking him from hurting Lenore. "Gordon, I'm letting her go."

Gordon pointed the knife at Sam's chest, stopping him in his tracks. "You're not doing a damn thing," he warned with narrowed eyes.

Emmy tugged at Dean's hand. "Do something," she whispered.

Dean lifted his free hand up in the universal _calm down_ sign. "Hey, hey, hey, Gordon, let's talk about this."

Gordon chuckled with no humor. "What's there to talk about? It's like I said, Dean. No shades of grey."

"Yeah. I hear you. And I know how you feel."

Gordon's eyebrows shot up. "Do you?"

"That vampire that killed your sister deserved to die, god only knows what I'd do if it were my sister, but this one..."

Gordon started laughing, his smile not reaching his eyes. "Killed my sister? That filthy fang didn't kill my sister. It turned her. It made her one of them. So I hunted her down, and I killed her myself."

Emmy's mouth fell open in pure shock. Dean and Sam were both rendered speechless for a moment.

"You did what?" Dean still hoped he had heard him wrong, unable to process the words.

"It wasn't my sister anymore, it wasn't human. I didn't blink," he shrugged, as if it were that normal. "And neither would you."

Dean couldn't help but look down at his baby sister, meeting her blue, bewildered eyes. He couldn't ever see himself hurt such a beautiful and sweet thing, not even if she wasn't human. Dean realized at that moment how strung out and absorbed he was by the words Gordon fed him. And to think he ever recognized himself in that bastard. How could he even compare himself to someone who killed his own sister?

"So you knew all along, then?" Sam was the first to get over the initial shock. "You knew about the vampires, you knew they weren't killing anyone. You knew about the cattle. And you just didn't care."

Gordon snorted indifferently. "Care about what? A nest of vampires suddenly acting nice? Taking a little time out from sucking innocent people? And we're supposed to buy that? Trust me. Doesn't change what they are. And I can prove it."

Emmy watched as he searched for something in his bag, revealing a small tube. The one she instantly recognized as her own blood.

"Watch this." Gordon drips the blood on Lenore's face, making her hiss inhumanly. Her sharp fangs extended and her body arched as it struggled against the restraints. "You think she's so different? Still want to save her? Look at her. They're all the same. Evil, bloodthirsty."

Emmy didn't notice she was moving forward until a strong arm wrapped around her from behind, pulling her back. She swallowed hard, no longer wanting to see this woman getting tormented.

Sam jumped into action, pushing Gordon away. "We're done here."

"Sam, get her out of here," Dean ordered, his eyes never leaving Gordon. "Take Emmy with you." Dean didn't want her to see what he had been itching to do since he saw what that son of a bitch did to her.

Emmy, still disturbed by the whole thing, wordlessly followed her brother who had lifted Lenore in his arms. Gordon took a step towards them but Dean pulled out his gun ominously.

"Uh-uh. Gordon, I think you and I've got some things to talk about."

"Get out of my way," Gordon snarled.

Dean waited until his siblings left before he said, "Sorry."

Gordon scoffed. "You're not serious."

"I'm having a hard time believing it too, but I know what I saw. If you want those vampires, you gotta go through me." Dean rolled up his sleeves, he's never been this ready to exchange some blows.

Gordon nods slowly. He looked at his knife in consideration before jamming it into the wooden table. "Fine."

Dean's eyes were on the knife, then on his own gun. He pulled the clip out and put it aside. The two men both took a fighting stance, each waiting for the first punch to be thrown. Eventually it was Gordon who broke the ice by shoving Dean back hard. The table broke his fall, but it still collapsed under his weight. Dean groaned, managing to stand back up only to get right back at Gordon. The two got rowdy, both succeeding in packing some mean punches.

Gordon fetched his knife, spitting out some blood. "What are you doing, man? You doing this for a fang? Come on, Dean, we're on the same side here."

"I'm doing this for my baby sister," Dean panted, swiftly tracing his bottom lip with his tongue. "And I don't think so, you sadistic bastard."

Gordon lunged at him, throwing him across the room. "You're not like your brother. You're a killer. Like me," he confronted, circling him.

Dean kicked him down with his feet before hauling him against the wall. Gordon's head banged against the wall, blood dripping down the side of his cheek. Dean elbowed him in the face, effectively knocking him out. Pinning him under his elbow, he dragged Gordon to the other side of the room, slamming his head into another wall on purpose.

"That's another one for Emmy." Dean tied him up in chair. Gordon's head lolled back, barely conscious. "You know, I might be like you, and I might not. But you're the one tied up right now."

 **SPN**

"You think she'll be okay?" Emmy wondered out loud.

Sam was driving back to the farmhouse after having dropped Lenore back in her nest with a warning to leave the state if they wanted to live – or not live – to see another day. He glanced at his sister, pulling her fingers away from her mouth when she started biting at her nails again, a nervous habit of hers.

"I wouldn't worry too much about her, honey. Are _you_ okay."

"I'm fine," she answered softly, watching the scenery flashing by.

Sam wasn't stupid, he could see that something was eating at her and he knew exactly what. "It wasn't your fault honey."

"Yes it was," she countered. "He wouldn't have caught Lenore if it weren't for me."

"He would've have found her with or without your help, Emmy," Sam reasoned.

She went quiet, having nothing to say about that. Although, there was something else … "I wish I could've at least fought back."

Sam frowned. "Fight back?"

"Yeah," she turned in her seat, facing him. "I never felt so defenseless in my life, Sammy."

"Honey, you're forgetting that he's a grown man and you're just a kid," Sam reminded her.

"I know that," she huffed with a roll of her eyes. "And I was lucky I got off the hook easily, but what if next time someone or something attacks me again and does worse?"

"There will be no next time, Emmy," Sam told her firmly. He realized he made a mistake and so did Dean, and they both learned their lesson. His brother was right, anything could happen, especially at moments you least expect it. They could never be too safe, not with the life they lived.

"But what _if?_ " she pushed. "You and Dean keep saying you'll always be there to swoop in and protect me, but you can't honestly believe that it will always be the case?"

Sam thought about it. It hurt to admit that she was right. As much as he would love to just tuck her away some place where no evil could ever reach her, the truth was less simple. He sighed, feeling her eyes on him, waiting for him to say something.

"So you wanna learn to defend yourself?"

"I'm not talking about shooting a gun or knowing how to knock someone out, I just wanna be able to do _something_ you know? I don't wanna feel like I'm some incapable damsel in distress."

Sam took a deep breath before letting it out slowly. He didn't know what to tell her. A part of him was proud of her, proud that she wanted to be able to fight for herself. But a bigger part didn't want her to ever fight, that was his and Dean's job. They were her big brothers, they were her protectors, her knights in shining armor. But as much as he wished to be there for her all the time, he knew that there was bound to be a moment where he wouldn't be able to guard her, rescue her.

"I'll think about it," was the only thing he could promise her.

Emmy sighed in disappointment but nodded. She scooted back to her side, leaning her head against the cold glass of the window.

"Hey," Sam grabbed her arm, pulling her back against him. He wrapped his arm around her neck, kissing the top of her head. "I'm really proud of you, you know that?"

"You already said that at Bobby's," she pointed out, intertwining her fingers with his.

Sam squeezed her hand. "Well, I really am. You're probably the strongest ten year old I've ever met." He didn't only mean the fact that she wanted to learn some self-defense, but also the way she kept holding her head high despite all the tragic things that happened in her life. She reminded him of their mother who was always so strong, both mentally and physically. Not a lot of people had that kind of strength.

Emmy looked up at him, amused. "Sammy, you don't even know any ten year olds."

"I know that I wasn't this brave and smart when I was your age, and neither was Dean."

She couldn't help but smile at her brother's words. They gave her a warm feeling, like she finally got recognition for doing something.

"Thanks, Sammy," she grinned. "You're not too sluggish either," she giggled, poking at his muscles.

Sam laughed with a shake of his head.

 **SPN**

Dean paced the room, keeping a watchful eye on Gordon when he heard the familiar sound of the Impala pulling up. Not more than several seconds later, Sam and Emmy entered. They both took in the sight in front of them. Emmy let out a breath of relief seeing her brother was okay, not counting the blood and cuts on his face. When she saw that Gordon looked worse, her lips twitched in satisfaction.

"Did I miss anything?" Sam asked.

"Nah, not much." Dean watched his sister, needing to check if she was alright. "Lenore get out okay?"

Sam nodded. "Yeah. All of 'em did."

Emmy caught her brother's eye and moved to him, circling her arms around his waist, resting her head against his stomach.

Dean smoothed down her hair, one hand resting on the back of her head and the other was lightly rubbing her back. "Then I guess our work here is done." He tilted his head to the tied hunter. "How you doing, Gordy? Gotta tinkle yet?" Gordon merely looked at him. "All right. Well, get comfy. We'll call someone in two or three days, have them come out, untie you."

Dean patted Emmy's back, leading her outside but not before jamming Gordon's knife into the table, far away from his reach. "Ready to go, Sammy?"

Without a word, Sam suddenly punched Gordon, knocking him to the floor in his chair. That was the pent-up anger for hurting his baby sister which he still had to vent. He flexed his fingers, shaking them. "I'm ready now. Let's go."

Emmy smirked proudly. Gordon might not get chopped in half and his skin didn't get shaved with a rusty cheese grater, but being beaten by two Winchester boys was probably more than she could ever wish for.

 **SPN**

As they walked down the porch, Dean stopped at the end of the stairs. He set himself on his feet like a boxer, earning a weird look from Emmy.

"Sam? Clock me one."

Sam looked confused. "What?"

Dean bounced on his feet, bracing himself. "Come on. I won't even hit you back. Let's go."

"No," Sam shook his head.

"Uh, why do you want Sammy to hit you?" Emmy questioned, still muddled.

Sam pointed at the bruise on his jaw and Emmy gasped. She couldn't believe how she didn't notice it before. "You hit him!" She exclaimed incredulously.

Dean sighed. "It's why I'm giving him a freebie. Hit me, come on."

"You look like you just went twelve rounds with a block of cement, Dean. I'll take a rain check," Sam refused.

"You hit him!" Emmy repeated, still not over it.

"You can take this one if you want," Sam told her.

Dean chuckled. "Oh, she won't hit me, she loves me too much – _sonuvabitch,"_ Dean wheezed grabbing his stomach.

"That was for hurting Sammy and being an idiot," Emmy lectured while Sam patted her back in praise.

"Damn girl," Dean groaned, trying to recover from the blow, "Where'd you learn to hit like that?"

Emmy shrugged. "Karate Kid."

Sam laughed. "You got owned by a ten year old, I don't think revenge could get any sweeter."

"Shuddup," Dean shot his brother a murderous glare before looking at his sister, "Remind me to never piss you off."

Emmy giggled.

As they resumed their walk to the Impala, Dean had to get a last thing off his chest. "I wish we never took this job. It's jacked everything up."

"What do you mean?" Sam asked.

"Think about all the hunts we went on, Sammy, our whole lives." Dean bit his lip, shaking his head lightly. "What if we killed things that didn't deserve killing? You know? I mean, the way Dad raised us..."

Emmy looked down at her feet. "He did the best he could, Dean." She knew he made a lot of mistakes, and he might not be the best father in the world, but nobody's perfect. She already forgave him for not being the daddy she always wanted, but like she said, the man did the best he could. And at the end of the day, she felt loved and what more could she have asked for?

"I know he did, sweetheart." Dean squeezed her small shoulder. "But the way he raised us, to hate those things; and man, I hate them. I do. When I killed that vampire at the mill I didn't even think about it; hell, I even enjoyed it."

"You didn't kill Lenore," Sam reminded him.

"No, but every instinct told me to. I was gonna kill her. I was gonna kill them all." It pained Dean to admit these feelings that were so _not_ him. He realized how his actions were steered by something he tried to burry deep down – anger, pain and frustration. He never was this careless about keeping work and private life separate.

"Yeah, Dean, but you didn't," Sam told him firmly. "And that's what matters."

"Yeah," the corners of Dean's lips lifted up. "Well, cuz you're a pain in my ass. And apparently you, too," he teased, tweaking Emmy's freckled nose.

Sam snickered. "Guess we might have to stick around to be a pain in the ass, then."

A small smile adorned Dean's face as he looked at his siblings. "Thanks." He didn't know where he would be without those two. They reminded him of why he was still fighting and not giving up. They were the fuel that kept him going. Life would have no purpose if he didn't have them by his side, he'd rather die.

 **A/N: Hi beautiful people! I missed you guys so much! I know this chapter took ages, but I'm just so busy with work and school. Seriously, I didn't even have time to sit and watch a movie or something. But good news, things are getting calmer right now. And I hope I'll have enough time to squeeze in another update.**

 **Anyway, thanks for all of the love you're sending me. I really appreciate it and it definitely motivates me to keep writing. I hope you liked this chapter, I was struggling at some parts but I managed to (finally) finish it. Also this one is extra long, just for you ;) Someone asked for more Sam/Emmy moments, so I hope this was good enough. Please let me know what you thought of this one! Don't forget to review, favorite, follow or simply just read :)**

 **PS: I realized when I watched this episode, that Eli is actually BENNY! Like wtf, why did no one ever tell me that?**

 **XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO**


	6. Children Shouldn't Play With Dead Things

**Disclaimer: I only own my character, Mary-Elisabeth "Emmy" Winchester.**

Driving down a two-lane, Dean sighed for the umpteenth time, earning an eye-roll from Sam who was riding shotgun.

"Come on, Sam, I'm begging you. This is stupid," Dean exclaimed in a hushed tone. His eyes wandered to the rearview where he could see Emmy scribbling something down in her book while she softly hummed to some song playing through her iPod.

Sam turned to face his brother. "Why?"

"Going to visit Mom's grave? She doesn't even have a grave," he said matter-of-factly. "There was no body left after the fire," he added with a strained voice.

"She has a headstone," Sam pointed out.

"Yeah, put up by her uncle, a man we've never even met," Dean scoffed. "So you wanna go pay your respects to a slab of granite put up by a stranger?"

"Dean, that's not the point." Sam rubbed at his forehead, annoyance ringing in his voice.

Dean slapped his hands on the wheel. "Well then, enlighten me, Sam."

Sam turned his gaze to the landscape flashing by. "It's not about a body, or, or, a casket. It's about her memory, okay?"

"Hmmm." Dean wasn't convinced.

"And after Dad it just... just feels like the right thing to do," Sam reasoned, before throwing a glance to his sister who was still oblivious to their conversation. "Besides, Emmy wants to. It can help her with the mourning process. It's good for her."

"It's irrational, is what it is." Dean was never in favor of visiting his mother's grave. He just didn't get the point of going to the cemetery, what do people even get out of that? To him it was just a place where hundreds of ghosts lurked, and everyone knew how much Dean despised ghosts.

"Look, man. No one asked you to come."

Dean wetted his lips. "Why don't we swing by the roadhouse instead? I mean, we haven't heard anything on the demon lately. We should be hunting that son of a bitch down."

Sam nodded. "That's a good idea, you should. Just drop us off, I'll hitch a ride, and we'll meet you there tomorrow."

"Right," Dean scoffed, not looking like he liked the idea. "Stuck with those people, making awkward small talk until you show up? No thanks."

"Are we there yet?" Emmy suddenly asked from the backseat.

Dean cleared his throat, exchanging a look with his brother before getting back to his sister. He could see in her eyes that for some reason visiting their mother's grave was something she really wanted to do. He didn't want to be the one pointing out that their mother wasn't really _there_ , it was just dirt and the remains of someone else's bones. His mother was gone, literally.

"Almost, sweetheart," he answered instead.

"I made something for her, you wanna see it?" Emmy leaned over the front seat to show them the picture she drew of the only memory she had from her mother.

The brothers could make out a blonde woman sitting on a wooden rocking chair, cradling a little pink bundle in her arms.

Sam swallowed thickly. "It's beautiful, Emmy."

"Can we get it plastified so it won't get damaged?"

"Yeah, I'm sure there's some paper shop out there," Dean told her with a tight smile.

"Cool!" She leaned back against her seat, finishing up her drawing.

 **SPN**

Sam knelt before his mother's headstone, reading the engraved words. _Mary Winchester, 1954-1995, In Loving Memory._ He couldn't remember the last time he visited her grave, but it still had the same effect on him like the first time. After all these years, it still hurt like a fresh wound that didn't want to heal.

With his pocket knife, he started digging into the ground so he could bury his father's dog tags. He didn't really know why he suddenly decided to do this but he felt like his father would've wanted their mother to have them.

"I love you, Mom," he whispered past the big lump in his throat as he covered the tags with dirt, until his fingers suddenly brushed against something else. He dug his hand deeper and scooped out a necklace made of dry pasta. He could still detect the traces of paint and glitter on it and the unmistaken letters forming the word _M-O-M-M-Y_. Before he could ask his siblings about it, someone else already beat him to the punch.

"Oh that's mine," Emmy said as she suddenly appeared next to him.

"You made this?" Sam asked.

"Uhu," she nodded as she put her picture on the headstone with the help of some transparent duct tape.

"Wait, you've been here before? I thought this was your first time?" Sam couldn't recall his sister ever visiting their mother's grave.

"With Daddy," she told him. "We made this necklace on school for mother's day and I was kinda sad cuz I had no one to give it to. So he brought me here and told me I could bury it in the ground, so it would be closer to Mom."

"I didn't know that," Sam said quietly. He didn't know what surprised him more, the fact that his father actually visited their mother's grave, or the fact that he took his own daughter to the cemetery. Sam remembered all those times he begged his father to take him to see his mother, but John never gave in, and neither did Dean. The only times Sam did go to his mother's grave was when he was old enough to drive and go of his own accord.

"Uhm, you were in Stanford," Emmy explained softly.

"Oh," Sam nodded slowly, understanding. He cleared his throat. "You want some time alone?"

Emmy looked around, noticing the graveyard was practically empty. Dean was crouched next to a tree, doing God knows what, and some old couple was standing in front of another gravestone.

"You think she'll hear me?"

"Of course she will." Sam gave her a side-hug, squeezing her against him. "I'm right over there if you need me, alright?" He kissed her temple before standing up and giving her some privacy.

Emmy absent-mindedly played with the necklace between her fingers. She was nervous and felt at a loss for words. She didn't know what to say or do. It was weird talking to a stone, it's almost like talking to yourself since there was no response or the guaranty that her mother was actually listening. Instead she focused on the picture she drew, staring at the mother holding her baby girl.

"H-hey mom," she whispered. "I uh, I just wanted to tell you that I, that I miss you." Emmy shifted, sitting cross legged on the grass. "I'm sorry if I haven't always thought of you these last couple months. I just had other stuff on my mind … like Dad." The ten year old's hand absently went to the silver butterfly resting between her collar bones. "Uhm, I don't know if he's in heaven, with you … but," she swallowed hard, "if he is, will you take care of him?" Tears started prickling her eyes, her lips quivered. "Tell him I still miss him and that I love him … a-and that Sammy and Dean are taking really good care of me." Emmy sniffed, wiping away her tears. "I wish you were both here but I know that's never gonna happen," she mumbled so softly it was almost inaudible.

Emmy sat there for several minutes in silence, just staring at the picture. Her tears had dried but her eyes still glistened. Loose strands of hair that escaped from her braid flew around her face but she didn't put effort into tucking them away. Her focus was on only one thing; blocking every sound and anything that could pull her attention away from being with her mother. Because that's what it felt like, she felt like she was alone with her mother. Being this close to Mary's grave, alone for the first time, it was heaven. Nothing needed to be said or done, just sitting in front of her headstone with the thought that her mother was watching her, it was more than Emmy could ever wish for.

 **SPN**

Sam and Dean leaned against the Impala, both keeping an eye on their baby sister without intruding. They might have different opinions about visiting their mother's grave, but they did agree when it came to giving their sister some space and as much time as she needed. If Emmy wanted to just sit and stare at the headstone all day, then so be it.

Sam sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. Dean caught the action and instantly knew the meaning of it. After all, Sam was his brother and he knew everything when it came to his body language. Dean saw it as one of his many big brother duties. You couldn't take care of someone if you don't know them inside out.

"Just spit it out already," Dean huffed.

Sam tucked his hands back in his pockets. "It's just... stumbling onto a hunt? Here, of all places?"

Dean shrugged, never taking his eyes off Emmy. "So?"

"So," Sam turned to face him, "are you sure this is about a hunt, and not about something else?"

Dean raised a questioning eyebrow. "What else would it be about?"

Sam stared at his brother in disbelief. He didn't know how long he could bite his tongue especially when Dean kept taking him for a fool because Sam wasn't. He could see right through that thick skin and mask of his brother. Instead he let out a heavy sigh with a shake of his head, moving to get in the car. "You know, just forget about it."

"You believe what you want, Sam, but I let you drag my ass out here, the least we could do is check this out." Dean watched Emmy dust off her denim overall as she started for the Impala.

"Yeah. Fine," Sam grumbled, closing the door once he was seated.

"Hey cutie pie." Dean reached to smooth down her hair, tucking blonde strands behind her ears. "You okay?"

Emmy merely nodded, moving to get in the backseat when Dean blocked her by getting down to her level. He cupped her chin, lifting it high enough to make eye contact. Her eyes were red-rimmed and her long, thick eye lashes were wet. It was another reason why Dean was against this whole grave visiting. The last thing he wanted was his sister getting upset, nothing broke his heart more than seeing tears in her eyes. Sam would've argued and tell him that it did her good, that she got some things off her chest, but Dean wasn't sure if it was worth it.

"Dean, I'm fine," Emmy muttered, trying to turn away.

"You sure?" he pressed, his protective side surfacing.

"Yeah. Uh can we get some paint?"

Dean realized it was her way of changing the subject and he decided to drop the matter, only because he knew that she probably needed some time to process everything.

"What do you need paint for?" he asked, guiding her to the front.

Emmy didn't question why her brother suddenly wanted her to sit next to him, although she did have an idea. Sam, equally surprised, didn't say anything and scooted over. Emmy shot him a small smile before addressing Dean, showing him the necklace. "To touch up where the paint chipped off."

"Where'd you get this?" Dean questioned as he started up the car, glancing at the handmade accessory.

"I made it when I was six, for Mom." Not feeling like explaining everything again, she cut right to the chase, "So can you get me some paint?"

"I never say no to pretty girls," Dean winked at her.

Sam eyed him with a hint of disgust. "TMI, dude."

Dean ignored him, wrapping an arm around Emmy's shoulder. "He's just jealous cuz I got the cutest girl on my arm."

"Sorry Sammy," Emmy apologized sheepishly. Dean wiggled his eyebrows at his brother like he just won the first prize.

Sam couldn't help but snort at his sibling's antics. If that was Dean's way of bringing things to a good end, and steer away from what was really going on, he once again succeeded. Because that's what Dean does, he makes everything seem all right when in reality it wasn't.

 **SPN**

Emmy spent the rest of her day repainting the necklace, this time using more gold and silver spray paint. Dean had let her buy different colors and beads to add. She even managed to write the letters of her mother's full name on each elbow-shaped macaroni. After she was done, she carefully hung the pasta on a string, hanging it in front of the window where it could dry.

Looking at her work, she felt like something was missing. Knowing what it was, she went to her duffel to look for the box where she kept the stuff she cherished. The box contained things like her mother's wedding band, her first golden bracelet with her name engraved on it, some old pictures she got from Jenny, and other small objects they managed to save from the fire, the rest of their belongings were all boxed up in a storage room.

Emmy blew out a huff in frustration when she couldn't find the small box. She moved to Sam's bag and after some digging she successfully found it. Emmy knew she had a golden necklace somewhere in there. It was one that used to have a little charm hanging on it but she lost it so she never bothered wearing the necklace after that. Instead of boxing up the bare chain, she could finally put it to use. The golden chain would look perfect with the glittery pasta and beads.

Emmy smiled, happy with the result. She couldn't wait to show it to her brothers. Sam and Dean were currently questioning Angela's father. From what Emmy understood, her brother Dean thought that the girl's grave was ' _unholy'_ and according to him something was up. Sam wasn't totally convinced and Emmy wasn't sure either. Not that she had any experience or inside knowledge when it came to supernatural cases, but to her it kinda seemed weird and coincidental.

As she put the box back, her fingers brushed against something soft and furry. Emmy pulled out the item and closed her eyes briefly when she noticed the doe-eyed teddy bear. She willed herself to look at the stuffed animal, it was the least she could do. Her father didn't give the plush toy for her to keep hidden in her duffel bag. He would've wanted her to keep it close, take care of it. Emmy forced herself to keep the tears at bay. She was _not_ going to cry. She needed to be able to hold the bear without constantly thinking of that day. One thing was for sure, whenever her eyes fell upon the fluffy animal _,_ it instantly made her think of her father. Her mother was right, they did share the same hazel eyes.

"Hey Johnny," her lips twitching in a small smile as she caressed the soft fur. "Sorry I ignored you for so long. I didn't mean to." Emmy pressed her face against its neck, the familiar smell only was enough to bring her to tears but she managed to swallow down the lump. _I am not gonna cry,_ she reminded herself.

"I promise not to push you away like that again," she whispered as she nuzzled it's black, button nose. Sitting on the carpet with Johnny tucked in her lap, leaning against her necklace, Emmy felt whole. She had something from both her parents with her, two things she swore to cherish forever.

 **SPN**

It didn't take long for the Winchester brothers to get back to the motel. Dean decided to order something instead of going out for dinner. After they ate and cleaned everything up, it quickly started to get dark outside and it soon was past someone's bedtime.

"Emmy, go get ready for bed," Sam told her from where he was standing in the kitchenette. The little blonde didn't give any sign of hearing him as she was sucked into the world of Bikini Bottom. "Emmy," Sam tried again.

"Hmm?" she slightly tilted her head to the source of his voice but didn't acknowledge him as she giggled to something Patrick said.

Sam sighed, walking over to where she lay on her stomach on the carpeted floor, swinging her feet back and forth. He purposefully stood in front of the television, knowing it was the only way to get her attention. And he was right because she instantly scowled.

"Sammy, I can't see," she exclaimed, rolling over to where she had a better view.

Sam easily lifted her up from the floor, putting her on her feet. "Shower, teeth and PJ's. Let's go," he patted her butt.

"But it's a new episode," she sulked, never taking her eyes away from the screen as if she didn't want to miss a second. "I can shower in the morning."

"Alright but at least put your pajama's on." Sam sighed and decided to give in. He'd been there before, only his father wouldn't have backed down so easily. But he never said he'd raise her like their Dad, and since she was his and Dean's responsibility now, he wanted to do it right. And letting her be a kid sometimes was a part of it.

Sam moved to pick her pajama's from her bag, walking past his brother who was sitting at the table, reading through their father's journal. Dean looked deep in thought and concentrated, and Sam knew exactly what got him so frustrated.

"Dean, just let it go already," he said as he handed Emmy her change of clothes. She took it but didn't move to get dressed, still too focused on the cartoon. Sam rolled his eyes and perched himself on the bed behind her.

"I'm telling you, there's something going on here," Dean muttered. "We just haven't found it yet."

"Dean, so far you've got a patch of dead grass and nothing," Sam pointed out. Since Emmy wasn't jumping into action, he started unclasping her overall.

"Well, something turned that grave into unholy ground," Dean reasoned forcefully.

"There's no reason for it to be unholy ground," Sam reasoned as he helped Emmy out of her clothes which was difficult since she wasn't really cooperating, her attention still on the television. "Angela Mason was a nice girl who died in a car crash. That's not exactly vengeful spirit material. You heard her father."

Dean looked up from the journal. "Yeah, well, maybe Daddy doesn't know everything there is to know about his little angel, huh?"

Sam shook his head with a snort. "You know what? We never should have bothered that poor man. We shouldn't even be here anymore."

"So what, Sam? What, we just bail? Without even figuring out what's going on?" Dean demanded.

"I think I know what's going on here." Sam said quietly while he took off Emmy's t-shirt. "It's the only reason I went along with you this far."

Dean frowned. "What are you talking about?"

Sam didn't look at his brother as he briefly inspected the healing bruise on Emmy's ribs. "This is about Mom's grave."

Dean scoffed, watching his brother rub some cream on their sister's ribs. She didn't even wince which meant she really was into that show or it didn't hurt that much anymore. When Sam didn't say anything else, he responded with, "That's got nothing to do with it."

It was Sam's turn to scoff in disbelief. "You wouldn't step within a hundred yards of it." He wiped his hands on his thighs before turning towards his brother. "Look. Maybe you're imagining a hunt where there isn't one so you don't have to think about Mom. Or Dad."

Dean watched his brother, he didn't say anything but that wasn't needed because his face spoke volumes. There was a slight part of truth hidden behind Sam's words. Dean just didn't want to admit. And the fact that his brother figured it out, annoyed him even more than he let on.

Sam sighed, continuing to dress his sister. "You wanna take another swing? Go ahead, if it'll make you feel better."

Dean shook his head, his tongue licking his bottom lip. "I don't need this crap." His chair scraped against the floor as he stood up and grabbed his jacket and keys.

This seemed to have gotten Emmy's attention. "Where're you going?"

"I'm going to go get a drink," Dean answered with a strained voice.

"Dean," Sam started.

"Alone," Dean cut him off sharply before leaving.

Emmy slapped her brother on the chest. "What did you do?"

"Ouch," Sam's hand rubbed over his chest. "And I didn't do anything." Emmy cocked an eyebrow incredulously. "Okay I might've _said_ something," he added in confession.

"What did you say?" she asked, giving him her full attention. Commercials were on so she could afford to listen to him now.

"I mentioned Mom and Dad." Sam reached to help her into her shorts when she took it from him.

"Hey, I'm not a baby, I can do it," she claimed, oblivious to how she even ended up half dressed to begin with. Sam wanted to point it out but decided to leave it. "And you know he's not ready for that, Sammy. Stop pushing him," she told him, getting back to the conversation.

"I'm not pushing, I'm helping," Sam defended.

"Well, obviously you're not," she pointed out. "Just do what I do."

"Oh, really?" Sam crossed his arms over his broad chest. "And what is that if I may ask?"

"I just don't talk about it." She lifted up her shoulders. "It's that simple."

"Honey, that's the thing. He _needs_ to talk about it, he has to tell us what's going on in his head or else he'll keep acting like he – "

"Okay, shh," Emmy covered his mouth, her eyes glued to the screen. "SpongeBob is back on."

"You serious?" Sam's voice was muffled with her hand still covering his lips. "What is it with you and that show?" he mumbled more to himself.

 **SPN**

Next morning, Dean yawned as he pulled up at the motel. He was exhausted after being up all night as he got to the bottom of the case. But it was worth it because Dean could finally say he could rest his case since it turned out that he was right. There was something going on and he couldn't wait to rub it in his brother's face. He just _knew_ it, he could feel it in his guts and he never went against that.

As he got out of the car he spotted a familiar blonde head near the bushes. Dean walked over to the small playground, his heavy footsteps muted by the grass.

"Watcha doing?"

Emmy screamed, jumping out of her skin and almost tumbling over from her crouched position. Luckily Dean caught her, pulling her up.

" _Dean!_ Don't do that!" she narrowed her eyes at him, shooting him the meanest glare she could muster. "I could have fallen straight into these nettles and seriously hurt myself! Do you know how much they sting? Or how about these roses with their sharp thorns! You want me to gets cuts all over?" she ranted, lecturing him.

But all Dean could think about as he watched her get angrier was, _she's friggin' adorable_. He couldn't help but cup her round face and kiss her flaming red cheeks … repeatedly.

"Ugh, stop it," Emmy grumbled, trying to shove his face away. "Dean, get off of me!"

Dean laughed, finally releasing her. Emmy huffed, rubbing at her cheeks to wipe off his kisses but she only ended up making her cheeks redder. Dean's lips twitched but one look from her and he instantly tried to hold back a smile.

"Sweetheart, it's not like my kisses are contagious."

"Yes they are," she protested. "Who knows where your lips have been last night."

"For your information, I didn't pick up any girls." Dean reached out to adjust her shirt since it had ridden up from her struggle.

"Then where were you all night? I know you didn't sleep at the motel, your side of the bed was cold," Emmy said as she picked up the flowers she had dropped.

"Yeah, I'm sorry about that, sweetheart. Did you have any nightmares?" Dean noticed that she was doing better when it came to sleeping. She actually slept through the night without waking up from those terrible nightmares. Sometimes she would stir or mumble in her sleep but he only needed to whisper soothing words in her ear to lull her back to sleep.

"No, I had Johnny to keep me company."

Dean was confused. "Who the hell his Johnny?"

"My teddy bear, the one Dad got me for my birthday," she explained.

"Oh," he breathed in realization. "I guess that's a good thing huh."

"Hmm, he even smells like Daddy," she half smiled.

Dean cleared his throat. "Hey Emmy can I ask you something."

"Sure," she nodded as she plucked some other flowers.

"You don't have to answer this if you don't want to – but what did Dad tell you when he gave you the bear?" he asked carefully as to not push her or anything.

Emmy was a little taken off guard by the question. "Uh … I don't remember all of it." That was a lie, she knew every single word by heart, she just didn't know what to tell her brother. "I know he was saying weird stuff."

"Weird?" Dean repeated.

"Yeah, stuff that didn't make any sense. Like how he kept repeating I _belonged_ to him."

Dean frowned. "What did he mean by that?"

"Beats me," she shrugged. "He just kept saying that I was his and that no matter what nothing would change that. He also drilled into my head that some people would try to tell me otherwise but that I shouldn't listen to them. You think he was talking about Azazel? Oh and there was also this thing he wanted me to remember. Something about how I might not have his smile or eyes but that I had his heart from the first moment he saw me. It was weird, especially when he kept repeating how he wanted me to promise to never forget." When Dean didn't say anything, only staring ahead, Emmy snapped her fingers in front of his face. "Dean?"

"Huh," he blinked.

"Why did you wanna know?" she asked.

Dean's mouth suddenly felt dry. Hearing his father's words through his sister, it suddenly dawned on him. Every little dot was connected and he knew he couldn't deny it anymore. He could still hear John whisper into his ear, his lasts words were loud and clear, and whatever doubts Dean had, it was obvious now.

"Dean!"

"What?" Dean's head snapped up to watch his sister giving him a worried look.

"You okay?" she voiced her concern.

"Yeah." Dean saw her opening her mouth, ready to say something else but he really wasn't in the mood to talk about it. "So what's up with the flowers?"

Emmy wasn't stupid to see that he was avoiding whatever was on his mind. But like she told Sam, she didn't push him, instead she let it go. If he didn't want to talk about it, fine. She couldn't keep reaching out to him, he was going to come out with it when he was ready.

"These are for Mom's grave," she answered, picking some more roses to add some color to the homemade bouquet.

"For Mom?"

"And for Dad," she added. Dean was momentarily speechless, his lips mouthing a silent _oh._ Emmy noticed and continued to explain. "Well, since Mom and Dad are … you know," she swallowed hard, "I figured they'd be both in heaven or in the sky or _above_ , or whatever it's called. Anyway, I remember when pastor Jim told me that when people are … you know," she took bit her lip, "they all look down at us and wait for us to join them. So now our parents are finally together again and looking out for us from up there."

Dean doubted his father went to heaven after all the things he did. But who knows, maybe all the lives he saved gave him a pass. But that wasn't what really bothered him. The way Emmy explained it to him, it sounded like a fairytale. It was too beautiful to be true. Hell, he wished he could die if it would be as good as she described it. But looking at her young face, innocence radiating from her blue eyes that were so identical to his mother's, Dean didn't have the heart to crush hers. Everyone had some comforting lies to protect themselves. If this was his sister's way to cope with the loss of their parents by imagining they were in a better place, then who was he to say anything to that. At least it offered her some closure, it helped her deal, unlike him.

"That's – that's really good, sweetheart," he offered her a smile, squeezing her hand.

Emmy's eyes twinkled and Dean was remembered how much the visit to their mother's grave really helped her.

Emmy grabbed Dean's hand, pulling him back towards their motel room. "Wanna see the necklace I made for Mom. The paint is dry now and I put the pasta in a new, golden chain."

When they entered the room, Sam quickly turned off the television and tossed down the remote. Dean noticed but Emmy was too busy with her necklace.

"Hey." Sam watched Dean entering slowly as he glanced between him and the now black screen. "What?"

"Awkward." Dean moved to take off his jacket, draping it over one of the chairs.

"Look, Dean." Emmy jumped in front of him, proudly showing off her necklace. "You like it?"

"Like it? I _love_ it." He fingered the dried pasta, looking impressed. "And I'm sure she would love it, too."

Emmy beamed, giggling when he wiped the glitter on his thumb off on her nose.

"Where in the hell were you?" Sam demanded, standing up.

"Working my imaginary case," Dean answered sarcastically.

"Yeah? And?" Sam pressed on.

Dean turned his back on his brother. "Well, you were right, I didn't find much." Sam nodded sympathetically. "Yeah. Except Angela's boyfriend died last night." Dean faced his brother, taking in his brother's surprised expression. "Slit his own throat. But, you know, that's normal. Uh, let's see, what else. Oh, he was seeing Angela everywhere before he died. But you know, I'm sure that's just me transferring my own feelings."

Sam let out a heavy sigh, running a hand through his hair. "Okay, I get it. I'm sorry, maybe there is something going on here."

"Maybe?" Dean repeated, his voice raising. "Sam, I know how to do my job, despite what you might think."

"We should check out the guy's apartment," Sam suggested.

"I just came from there." Dean moved to the sink where Emmy struggled wrapping a ribbon around the flowers. "Pile of dead plants, just like the cemetery. Hell, dead goldfish too."

"So, unholy ground?"

"Maybe," Dean answered, handing over the bouquet to his sister. "I'm still not getting that powerful angry spirit vibe from Angela."

"Thank you," Emmy smiled, earning a wink from Dean.

He crossed the room and picked up a pink book. "I have been reading this, though."

Sam's eyebrows shot up. "You stole the girl's diary?"

Emmy gasped like her brother just committed a crime. "No, you didn't."

"Yes, I did," Dean retorted. "And if anything the girl's a little too nice."

Sam lifted up his hands. "So what do you want to do?"

Dean flicked through the pages of Angela's diary. "Keep digging, talk to more of her friends."

"You get any names?" Sam asked.

"Are you kidding me?" Dean snorted. "I have her bestest friend in the whole wide world." He held up the girly book.

"Remind me if I ever decide to buy a diary, to get one with a lock," Emmy commented.

Sam chuckled. "You're talking to two professional lock pickers. When has a lock ever stopped us before?"

Emmy's eyes narrowed. "You wouldn't dare."

Sam laughed.

 **SPN**

Emmy waited patiently in the Impala, watching her brothers talk to one of Angela's close friends, Neil. Emmy could see from the guy's face that he was suspicious of Sam and Dean who posed as 'grief counselors'. It wouldn't be long before Neil would realize and blow their cover. He said something, eying her brothers weirdly before closing the door.

Sam and Dean exchanged a look before walking away from the house. They started talking but Emmy couldn't make out what they were saying until they got in the car.

"Well, there's one way to be sure," Dean said.

"Yeah? What's that?" Sam questioned.

"Burn the bones."

Emmy scooted closer to the front. "Are you talking about Angela? Didn't she just die last week?"

Dean shrugged. "So?"

Sam scoffed. "So, there's not gonna be bones. There's gonna be a ripe, rotting body in the coffin."

"Since when are you afraid to get dirty? Huh?" Dean challenged, starting up the car.

"Ooh, can I come with you guys?" Emmy asked excitedly.

Dean was about to tell her no but then he remembered how he'd rather have her close with him. "Why not, it's just a salt and burn."

"Can I start the fire?"

"No," Sam and Dean declined in unison.

"You can help us dig," Sam offered, knowing she wouldn't take the offer.

"Ew, no. I'll just watch you guys do the hard work." She patted their shoulders. "That's what brothers are for."

 **SPN**

And Emmy held her word, because watching was the only thing she did. Sam and Dean were digging at Angela's gravesite, panting and sweating. It took almost an hour before they finally reached the coffin.

Dean cleared the rest of the dirt off before turning to Sam. "Ladies first."

Emmy giggled.

Sam rolled his eyes and handed his flashlight to his sister. "Hold that."

He grunted as he pulled at the lid of the coffin. Emmy bit her lip, bracing herself for whatever she was about to see. Do people already rot after a week? What if Angela was covered in worms and other insects. And what about the smell? Emmy clearly didn't think this through, she'd prefer if it were just bones.

Sam finally managed to open the coffin and whatever it was that he expected, an empty coffin wasn't it.

With growing eyes, Emmy took a sharp intake of breath. "She's a zombie!"

The brothers still stared at the empty coffin, trying to make sense of it.

 **"** They buried the body four days ago," Dean sounded utterly confused.

"That's long enough for her to turn into a zombie," Emmy commented casually.

"I don't get it," Sam shook his head.

"I'm telling you, she's a zombie," she repeated.

In the light of the flashlight, Sam suddenly noticed something carved into the inside of the coffin. "Look."

Dean got closer. "What is that?"

"Maybe it's written in zombie," Emmy suggested.

Sam fingered the carving. "I'm not sure."

Emmy suddenly realized something. "Uh, do zombies even have their own language? Or do they just talk like us? No, wait, do they even _talk_? I thought they just moaned and roared and _squelched_ or maybe that's because they're missing a few teeth and their tongue so they have trouble pronouncing their words so that's why we – "

"Honey," Sam interrupted, giving her the sign of zipping up his lips and throwing away the key. Emmy got the message and clamped her lips shut.

Still racking his brain, Dean suddenly spoke up, "Hold on, I've seen these kinda symbols before."

 **SPN**

Dean didn't wait long to confront Angela's father, he decided to go there first thing in the morning.

Emmy stood next to Sam, looking around Dr. Mason's office. It reminded her a bit of Bobby's study; the walls were hidden by bookcases and the wooden desk was covered by multiple sheets of paper and files.

"You teach Ancient Greek," Dean started, standing in front of the man. "Tell me what are these?"

Dr. Mason accepted the paper on which Dean had copied the weird symbols from his daughter's coffin. "I don't understand. You said this had something to do with Angela." The greying man looked confused, looking between the brothers.

"It does. Please, just humor me," Dean quipped, earning a warning look from Sam.

The doctor stared back at the piece of paper, investigating it. "They're part of an ancient Greek divination ritual."

"Used for necromancy, right?" Dean added. He had already done his research before he came here.

The man looked surprised. "That's right."

Dean took a step forward. "See, before we came over here we stopped by the library and did a little homework ourselves. Apparently they used rituals like this one for communicating with the dead. Even bringing corpses back to life. Full-on zombie action."

"Yes. I mean, according to the legends," he nodded before shooting a questioning glance at Sam. "Now, what's all this about?"

Sam opened his mouth, but didn't really know what to say. He was still having doubts about this and he didn't want to do the wrong thing. For all he knew, they could've been barking up the wrong tree.

"I think you know," Dean sneered.

"Dean," Sam warned.

"Look, I get it. Okay? There are people that I would give anything to see again. But what gives you the right?" Dean pointed an accusing finger at the man who was still oblivious.

"Dean!" Sam yelled, that was out of the line.

Dr. Mason looked at them with pure perplexity. "What are you talking about?"

"What's dead should stay dead!" Dean growled, working himself up.

" _What?!_ " the man sputtered.

Sam grabbed his brother, pulling him back. "Stop it!" he ordered through gritted teeth.

Dean shrugged his brother's hands off him. "What you brought back isn't even your daughter anymore. These things are vicious, they're violent, they're so nasty they rot the ground around them. I mean, come on, haven't you seen Pet Cemetery?"

Dr. Mason shook his head, looking at him like he was crazy. "You're insane."

"Where is she?" Dean demanded.

"Get out of my house," the man spat. Walking over to his desk, starting to dial the phone.

Dean knocked it out of his hand, and Emmy flinched when it clattered against the floor. She couldn't believe her brother. He was never the aggressive type of guy, especially not with innocent people because to her it seemed obvious that Angela's father had nothing to do with this. But if she could see that, how come her brother, who was a _friggin' hunter_ , couldn't see it? There had to be another reason that set him off like this.

"I know you're hiding her somewhere. Where is she?!" Dean bellowed causing Emmy to flinch again.

She was sure that if her brother didn't take it down a notch, he was bound to attract some unwanted attention. She looked through the window, hoping that no one was passing by when something suddenly caught her eye. There were some plants by the window that were nowhere near wilted. They stood high and looked healthy.

"Dean!" Sam went to grab his brother, shaking him a little. "Stop, that's enough!"

"Dean, look," Emmy pointed to the row of plants. "Beautiful, living plants."

Dean let out a long breath, visibly calming down but that didn't stop Dr. Mason from calling the police.

"We're leaving. Sir, we're sorry. We won't bother you again." Sam practically pushed Dean forward and out the door. "Emmy let's go," he called out, reaching out for her hand.

Emmy had to pick up her pace to keep up with their long legs. She grabbed her brother's hand and let him pull her along.

Dean strode down the steps and along the sidewalk. He adjusted his jacket, storming away from the house.

"What the hell is the matter with you, Dean?" Sam wanted to know.

"Back off," he snapped.

Sam walked faster, causing Emmy to almost run. "That man is innocent! He didn't deserve that!"

Dean didn't slow down. "Okay, so she's not here, maybe he's keeping her somewhere else."

"Stop it!" Sam shouted. "That's enough, okay? Enough!"

"Sam, I know what I'm doing," Dean shot back.

"No, you don't. At all." Sam got in front of him to put him to a stop. "Dean, I don't scare easy, but man, you're scaring the crap out of me _and_ Emmy."

"Don't be overdramatic, Sam." But Dean took the opportunity to shoot a glance at Emmy. She was looking up at him, concern and millions of questions flashing through her eyes. She was hugging Sam's arm against her chest and he even noticed how she slightly hid behind their brother, as if he would jump her any second.

"You're lucky this turned out to be a real case," Sam got back his attention. "Because if it wasn't you would have just found something else to kill."

Dean's lips parted. "Wha-"

"You're on edge, you're erratic," Sam cut him off, "except for when you're hunting, because then you're downright scary. You're tailspinning, man. And you refuse to talk about it and you won't let us help you."

Dean's jaw tensed as he looked around in disinterest. "I can take care of myself, thanks."

"No, you can't," Sam pressed on. "And you know what? You're the only one who thinks you should have to. You don't have to handle this on your own, Dean, no one can."

Dean let out a heavy sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Sam, if you bring up Dad's death one more time I swear..."

"Stop," Sam sounded tired. "Please, Dean, it's killing you. Please. We've already lost Dad. We've lost Mom. I've lost Jessica. And now we're going to lose you too?"

Dean looked away but he could feel his siblings' eyes on him. He caught a glimpse of Emmy's young face, etched with worry and apprehension. He didn't want to bother or unsettle her more than she already was. She was doing good, great even, he really underestimated her. She was so much stronger than he thought she was and Dean didn't want to be the one to make it harder on her.

"We better get out of here before the cops come," he cleared his throat. He noticed Sam frowning and breathed out, "I hear you. Okay? Yeah, I'm being an ass. And I'm sorry. But right now we've got a friggin' zombie running around, and we need to figure out how to kill it."

"Told you it was a zombie," Emmy mumbled under her breath causing her brothers to ruffle her hair. " _Hey_!"

 **SPN**

Emmy was on the bed behind Sam, trying to read their father's journal over his broad shoulders, which was easier said than done. She got on her knees, leaning closer when Sam suddenly turned around, hiding the journal against his chest.

"What are you doing?"

"Nothing," she smiled innocently. "I was just playing with you hair." To prove it, she started running her fingers through his bangs.

Sam studied her suspiciously for several seconds before getting back to reading. "No braiding," he warned.

"Okidoki," she chuckled as she thought of all those times he had let her play hairdresser. It was one of the perks of having a brother with long hair and being a sister with puppy eyes and a pout he couldn't say no to.

Dean paced back and forth, chewing on a thumb nail. "We can't just waste it with a head shot?"

Sam snorted. "Dude. You've been watching way too many Romero flicks."

"What about pepper?" Emmy chimed in.

" _Pepper_?" Sam repeated, taking his eyes off the journal to give her a weird look.

"Yeah," she nodded, "I mean that's what they used in the movie."

"What movie?" Dean wanted to know.

Emmy rolled her eyes. "Sooby-Doo on Zombie Island, duh."

"Okay first of all, those weren't zombies," Dean interjected. "They were just pirates cursed by the Cat God who turned them into werecats permanently, so the Gods could drain their life forces to preserve their immortality … _duh,_ " he added mockingly.

Sam's eyes switched from his brother to his sister. He didn't know what was more absurd, the fact that Emmy stated pepper was a weapon against zombies, or the fact that Dean saw _Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island_.

"You guys are definitely related," he muttered, before getting back to reading the journal.

Emmy stuck her tongue out at Dean, who pulled a silly face at her in return.

"So, you're telling me there's no lore on how to smoke 'em," Dean said as he took a seat at the table.

"No, Dean, I'm telling you there's too much. I mean, there's a hundred different legends on the walking dead, but they all have different methods for killing them."

Sam felt Emmy's breath on his neck and he abruptly turned around, his nose brushing against hers. It took her off guard which caused her to almost fall back. When she realized he caught her reading the journal, she explained sheepishly, "I just wanted to check if we could really rule out pepper."

Sam shook his head and moved to join his brother at the table. "Some say, setting them on fire, uh, one said, where is it?" He flicked through the pages, "Right here. Feeding their hearts to wild dogs. That's my personal favorite. I mean, who knows what's real and what's myth?"

"Is there anything they all have in common?" Dean asked.

"No," Sam sighed, "But a few said silver might work."

"Silver's a start," Dean said while Emmy walked over to the table. He wordlessly opened his arms, inviting her to his lap.

"Yeah. But now how are we going to find Angela?" Sam wondered.

"We've got to figure out the person who brought her back," Dean brought to mind, absently running his hand through Emmy's blond locks.

Sam leaned against his chair, tapping his fingers against the surface of the table. "Any ideas?"

Dean chewed on his bottom lip thoughtfully. "I think if it's not her dad it might be that guy Neil."

"Neil?" Sam raised his eyebrows. "How'd you come up with that?"

Dean patted Emmy's thigh, "Sweetheart, go get Angela's diary in my bag."

Emmy crossed the room to get the pink book before handing it over to Dean who pulled her back in his lap. "Well, you've got your journal, I've got mine." He rested his chin on Emmy's shoulder so he could read a part from the diary. " _Neil's a real shoulder to cry on, he so understands what I'm going through with Matt_ ," he read with an exaggerated, emotional voice, causing Emmy to giggle. "There's more in here where that came from. It's got _Unrequited Ducky Love_ written all over it."

"Yeah," Sam snorted, "but that doesn't mean he brought her back from the dead."

"Hmm." Dean closed the book, fixing his brother with a pointed look. "Did I mention he's Professor Mason's TA? Has access to all the same books." From the looks of it, that brought his brother around.

Emmy turned in Dean's lap. "Can I come with you," she asked excitedly.

"Absolutely no!" When Dean saw her sweet face fall in disappointment, he added, "You can stay in the Impala."

"But I wanna see the zombie," she pleaded, wrapping her arms around his neck and sticking out her bottom lip.

Dean used his finger to push her lip back in. "That's _definitely_ a no."

 **SPN**

Emmy toyed with the radio player of the Impala, which was parked in front of Neil's house. Sam and Dean were inside scoping out the place, in the hope of finding Angela. Out of all the hunts, Emmy thought this one was definitely the coolest. Forget about ghosts, wendigo's, vampires and shapeshifters, _zombies_ are by far the most exciting creatures ever. Don't get her wrong, it's not like she wanted to come across a zombie - who does? – it's just that the thought of a living _dead_ person was thrilling.

Emmy thought of the person that brought Angela back to life. A part of her didn't understand why someone would do something like that. It was disgusting, unnatural and just _not_ human at all. But then again, another part did sympathize with the person's desperation of wanting someone back. She was in that irrational state of mind once. After her father died, she remembered wanting him so bad, she was capable of going to great lengths. She was just lucky she had two brothers and a surrogate uncle that loved her to no end, which prevented her from making stupid choices. But Emmy understood that some people might not have that kind of company surrounding them, and that could lead to mistakes, like bringing someone back from the death.

A movement outside snapped her out of her train of thoughts. Her brothers walked down the steps in the direction of the car. Emmy looked around them, frowning when she didn't see anyone else. _Where's Angela?_ she thought as she got out of the car and walking towards her brothers.

"Where's the zombie?" she asked, looking behind them.

Instead of answering her question, Dean simply picked her up under his arm like a ragdoll. "What was the condition, Emmy?"

"Stay in the car," she had to refrain from rolling her eyes. "But it's just you guys," she mentioned.

"We said 'under no circumstances'," Sam reminded her, opening the door. Dean put her down and gently pushed her in the car.

"Under no circumstances," Emmy mocked under her breath as she crawled to the middle of the front seat.

"Hey," Sam lightly swatted her butt, "I heard that."

"So you still didn't answer my question," she prodded quite impatiently. "Where's the zombie?"

"Well you were right about the pepper thing. One sniff and it instantly died for good this time," Sam told her with a serious expression.

Emmy's eyes widened in awe. "Really?"

" _What?_ " Sam couldn't help but chuckle. "No, of course not."

Emmy looked unamused. "You suck, Sammy."

The car jostled a little when Dean got in the driver's seat, thinking of where to go next. "Okay, so she, uh, she clipped Matt because he was cheating, right?" He asked to no one in particular as if he was just thinking out loud.

"Yeah," Sam confirmed.

Dean casted his brother a look. "Well, it takes two to, you know," he trailed, his gaze on Emmy who was listening intently. Dean covered her ears, "have hardcore sex," he whispered.

Sam shakes his head at him. "I don't know, it just seemed that Angela's roommate was broken up over Matt's death. I mean, like, really broken up."

Dean slowly nodded in realization. How could he have missed this?

Emmy pulled his hands away and asked, "Where are we going?"

"Angela's," Dean answered.

"Is she gonna be there? Are we finally gonna see the zombie? I wonder on what places her rotting flesh is already peeling off, or what color her eyes are, or if she – "

"You're way too excited about this," Sam interrupted her rant. "What if she attacks you, what are you gonna do?"

"Uh …," Emmy obviously didn't expect the question. "I don't know, run or something."

"What if she catches you?" Dean asked next.

"She won't, I'm way faster than her," she answered with confidence. "Besides, running is not easy with a rotting, dismembered corpse."

"The chances of having that luck on your side is small," Sam told her.

"Well, I would fight back or something but _you_ guys won't teach me," she accused, crossing her arms.

Sam released a deep breath, "Honey, we've talked about this."

"You did?" Dean questioned, feeling left out on something. "Without me?"

"It's nothing," Sam calmed him down. "She just asked me if we could teach her some fighting moves."

"And you said?" Dean pressed.

"I didn't say anything," Sam defended himself, knowing all too well how his brother was against it. "I said I'd think about it."

"But you never said no," Emmy pointed out.

Dean briefly took his eyes from the road to look down at his baby sister. "Why?"

"To defend myself," she responded. "You're not always gonna be around."

Dean's lips thinned. "Dammit Emmy, how many times do I have to tell you. Stop saying that, stop thinking we'll leave you, abandon you, cuz' it's not gonna happen. _Ever._ "

"But what if _you_ are the one in trouble or danger? Who's gonna help you out then?"

Dean chuckled without humor. "Not gonna happen either. _We_ protect _you,_ not the other way around."

"But, but – "

"No but's," he cut her off. "You won't need to know how to fight if we're never gonna let you anywhere near a monster, and even if it does happen, that's where Sam and I come in. It's what brothers are for, sweetheart."

Emmy, feeling defeated and frustrated at the same time, looked up at Sam. She used her pleading eyes, begging him to change their brother's mind. But the only thing Sam did was give her a small shrug, the one that said _don't look at me, there's nothing I can do about this._

With lowered eyebrows and pursed lips, the little blonde tucked her knees against her chest. "You guys suck. I hope you both step on a lego … barefoot."

Sam turned to face the window, pressing his lips shut, his shoulders shaking with silent laughter.

"Yeah, love you too," Dean smirked.

 **SPN**

Arriving at Angela's house – Emmy, still pouting for being locked in the Impala, jumped in her seat when she heard a gunshot. She plastered herself against the window, hoping to catch something. Apparently her brothers thought Lindsey, Angela's cousin who cheated on her boyfriend, would be at Angela's. And it looked like they were right, because next thing Emmy heard was a female screaming and another woman jumping out of the window. Emmy's eyes followed the pale girl dressed in a long, white dress.

"No way," she whispered in shock, finding herself hiding behind the door with only her eyes peeking out.

Was this Angela? Zombie-Angela? This was _not_ what Emmy had expected. In her mind, a zombie was supposed to be mangled with missing limbs, covered in blood and filth, staggering with their intestines dragged in the dirt. Instead she saw a healthy-looking girl, except for the color missing in her face, who didn't only seem 'normal' but could run pretty fast too.

"Guess running away isn't an option anymore," Emmy mumbled to herself.

 **SPN**

Back on the road, Dean's knuckles whitened around the steering wheel. This case was getting to him; people messing with death, bringing things back to life that shouldn't be living, playing with the natural order of things and just the whole zombie-chase in general. If he didn't get to shoot something real soon, he sure was about to lose his cool.

"So the silver bullets, they did something, right?" Sam spoke up from beside him, reading the journal.

Dean loosened his grip a little, trying to relax. "Yeah, something, but not enough. What else you got?"

"Um, okay, besides silver, we have ... nailing the undead back into their gravebeds."

Emmy pulled a face. "Yikes." She then covered her mouth as she yawned.

Sam turned some pages. "It's mentioned a few times. It's probably where the whole vampire staking lore came from."

"Their gravebeds?" Dean shot his brother a look over his sister's head. "You serious?"

"Yeah." Sam nudged Emmy. "Go get some sleep, honey. I know you're tired."

"No, I'm not," she denied stubbornly, stifling another yawn.

"Yes you are." Sam wrapped an arm around her, securing her against his chest. If she didn't want to go to sleep, he'll _make_ her go to sleep. She only needed someone to rub her back and stroke her hair, maybe even rock her a little, and she would be out in no time. It was a method that helped when she was a baby, and she seemed to never have grown out of it.

"How the hell are we going to get Angela back to the cemetery?" Dean questioned.

Sam only had to give him one look and Dean already caught on. _Neil._

 **SPN**

Emmy woke up with a sudden start. Her surroundings were dark and quiet, _too_ quiet. She felt a soft breeze tickle her hair and looked up to find the window of the Impala slightly open. She realized she had fallen asleep, and her brothers must've tucked her in the back seat … which meant that they were out chasing the zombie and she was missing out on all the fun.

Throwing the blanket away, Emmy scrambled to the front seat where her shoes and jacket were. Putting her hair in a quick messy bun, she moved to open the door of the front seat, finding it unlocked.

"Oh, Dean," she sighed. "You really need to learn locking up baby."

Looking around, she instantly recognized the graveyard where her mother was buried and Angela. Emmy hesitated for a second, knowing that her brothers wouldn't want her to leave the car. But then again, they never said she had to stay. Well they did, the first two times but not this time. Okay maybe this was a farfetched excuse, but at least she had one in case her brothers caught her. Emmy only wanted to see the zombie again, she wasn't planning on attracting any unwanted attention, not from Angela and definitely not from her brothers.

She carefully and silently walked on her tiptoes, gliding through the dark, using the trees to hide behind. It wasn't hard to find Angela's grave since her brothers lit it up with multiple candles.

"You really think this is going to work?" she heard Sam ask.

"No, not really. But it was the only thing I could come up with," Dean answered.

Emmy shifted a little to move closer when she accidently stepped on some leaves. She froze, holding still, when her brothers looked up. She almost thought it was her they heard until Sam pulled a gun from the small of his back, stalking in the opposite direction. Emmy let out a breath in relief.

Dean was still busy with the candles and ritual while Sam followed the sound he must've heard. Emmy chewed on her bottom lip, looking around for any movement when she suddenly caught something white emerging from another tree.

" _Angela,_ " she whispered.

Sam had his back turned and Dean didn't notice her presence either. Emmy impatiently waited for her brothers to turn around, nervously biting the skin around her finger nails. _Come on Sammy and Dean!_ she thought with urgency. She knew that if she made a sound, it would alert her brothers _and_ Angela, something she was trying her best to avoid. Also her brothers would blow a gasket if they found out about her hiding.

But when Angela advanced towards Sam, she couldn't keep it in anymore, and yelled, "SAMMY!"

Sam, startled, turned around coming face to face with Angela. He didn't waist a second and instantly pointed his gun at her. Angela stopped short, putting her hands up.

"Wait! It's not what you think," she explained with a quivering voice. "I didn't ask to be brought back. But it's still me. I'm still a person," she practically begged, using her pleading eyes. "Please."

Emmy's eyes grew as she watched her brother's next move. She would be lying if she said she didn't feel any sympathy for the dead girl. She was right, she didn't ask to be brought back, but that didn't take away the fact she murdered two people.

A towering form blocked her vision and Emmy didn't need to guess who it was when she felt a firm hand on her shoulder.

"You, get back in the car. Right now," Dean ordered through gritted teeth.

"But, I wanna see –" she started to protest when Dean shut her up with only one look. It was these moments that she was reminded how much her brother looked like their father.

"I don't wanna hear it, Emmy. I told you to stay in the car, I told you it wasn't safe, yet you – " Dean didn't get to finish his sentence when the sound of a firing gun suddenly cut him off.

Emmy jumped, clinging onto her brother's waist, fisting his flannel shirt under his leather jacket. From where she stood, she could perfectly see the whole of the bullet through Angela's forehead. Yet, she didn't seem fazed at all and managed to tackle Sam.

"Sonuvabitch," Dean cursed. He unwrapped Emmy's arms and pulled her to a tree, sitting her down. "Stay right here," he told her firmly. Emmy absently nodded, still trying to see the fight between Sam and Angela. "Hey!" Dean cupped her chin, forcing her to look at him. "Don't move."

"Y-yeah," she said shakily.

Dean grabbed his own gun and ran over to Angela, firing it at her. She got up from straddling Sam, her eyes shooting daggers at Dean who shot her several more times until she staggered backwards. Dean waited until she fell straight back into her open grave, landing in the open coffin, before he grabbed a long metal stake. He ran to the grave, sliding the last length on his knees and dove into the coffin, burying the stake in her chest.

Pinned down, Angela struggled. "Wait, don't!"

Dean drove it further in, causing her to gasp one last time before she went limp.

"What's dead should stay dead," Dean panted.

 **SPN**

The next morning, Emmy carefully buried the necklace next to her mother's grave, and patted down the dirt. "I hope you'll like this one, Mom, I put a lot of work into it. Sammy and Dean said it looks pretty, just like you," she smiled. "I'm sure Daddy would've love it, too," she added sadly. "Will you tell him that next time I'll make something for him? I don't want him to feel left out."

Casting a look behind her, where her brothers were fixing Angela's grave, Emmy decided to finish up. She put the bouquet of flowers in front of the headstone, right next to the picture she drew. She kissed her fingers before pressing her hand on the granite with a small smile. "I love you, Mom. I love you, Daddy."

She stood up and started for the Impala where Sam and Dean were waiting.

"You know, that whole fake ritual thing, luring Angela into the cemetery? Pretty sharp," Sam said, impressed.

"Thanks," Dean nodded as he put their shovels in the trunk.

"But did we have to use me as bait?" Sam couldn't help but ask.

"I figured you were more her type. You know, she had pretty crappy taste in guys," Dean smirked.

Sam cradled his hand, "I think she broke my hand."

"You're just too fragile. We'll get it looked at later," Dean laughed. "In the meanwhile," he turned to Emmy who was quiet, trying to make herself invisible. He turned his hand with his palm up, motioning for her to give him something.

"Aw, come on," Emmy wined. She was hoping he'd forget by now, but when did Dean ever forget anything.

"You brought this on yourself, honey," Sam reminded her. "You should've listened and stayed in the car."

"You know the consequences," Dean gave her knowing look.

Emmy huffed with a flushed face and jutted chin. This was so unfair. She shot her brothers one last, displeased glare for good measure before stomping to the car.

"Adorable," Sam grinned. Dean agreed with a chuckle. "So, you wanna stay for a while?"

Dean stared at their mother's grave, decorated with flowers and pictures. He already said goodbye to his mother a long time ago and he accepted her death. He could now say that he could let it go and hopefully Emmy was right about her being in heaven. Wherever she was, it was better than here – hell on earth.

"No," he answered eventually. "I think Emmy got it covered."

At that moment, Emmy got out of the car with her stash of candy she got from Bobby. Her cheeks were filled with candy.

Dean had to try hard no to laugh. "Did you just _ate_ all of your candy?"

"No," her voice was muffled, "I di'n't eat 'em, I save' 'em."

Sam laughed. "You _saved_ them?"

"Hmm," she nodded, having a hard time chewing on all the gummy bears in her mouth.

"Okay then," Dean chuckled. "Now give it to me."

Emmy glanced down at the bag, looking like she had to give away her baby or something. She reluctantly handed it over to her brother, waiting several seconds before letting it go.

Dean instantly noticed that the bag weighed less. "All of it, Emmy."

She let out a long breath through her nose, before digging her hands in her pockets, taking out handfuls of candy and putting them in the bag. Still chewing on the gummy bears in her mouth, she told her brothers, "I s'ill hope you s'ep on a lego."

Sam grabbed her around her waist, flipping her over his shoulder in one single move. "Yeah and we still love you."

Emmy shrieked, covering her mouth so the candy wouldn't fall from her stuffed cheeks. "Sammy! Pu' me 'own!"

"I'm sorry, what?" Sam teased.

Emmy punched his back with her fists. "I sai' pu' me 'own!"

"Sweetheart, don't talk with your mouth full."

 **SPN**

The ten year old was mesmerized as she watched the beautiful scenery from the window; the spectacular mountains, lakes with waterfalls and jaw dropping cliffs that looked like they came straight from a magazine.

When the car suddenly pulled across the road to stop in the opposite shoulder, Emmy frowned. Without a word, Dean got out and sat on the hood. Emmy exchanged a look with Sam, silently asking what was going on. He was equally confused and got out, too, while Emmy followed.

Approaching her brother, Emmy looked concerned. "Dean, what is it?"

There was a pause of several seconds and she thought he'd never answer until he said, "I'm sorry."

"For what?" Sam moved closer, sitting next to him on the hood.

Dean's hands were tucked in the pockets of his jeans, his gaze downcast. "The way I've been acting." Another minute passed before he spoke up, "And for Dad. I mean, he was your dad too. And it's my fault that he's gone."

Where did that come from, Emmy wanted to know. Why was he saying all of that? Is that why he had a harder time coping with their father's death? Because he thought it was his fault?

"What are you talking about?" Sam questioned.

"I know you've been thinking it … so have I," Dean said softly, never taking his eyes off his shoes. "Doesn't take a genius to figure it out."

"Dean," Sam started.

"Back at the hospital, I made a full recovery. It was a miracle. And five minutes later Dad's dead and the Colt's gone," Dean finally looked up to meet his brother's eyes, demanding him to prove him wrong but was only answered with silence.

"But, but that's not possible," Emmy argued in disbelief.

"Emmy, open your eyes," Dean's fingers caressed her hair, his hand resting on the back of her head, "Why do you think he gave you that teddy bear _before_ you birthday?"

Emmy took a shaky breath. _No._ This couldn't be true. Her father wouldn't do that, no way. What her brother was saying is that he didn't just die, but he _left_ ; he left her behind and that struck her hard.

Dean's jaw clenched, his throat tightened. "You can't tell me there's not a connection there. I don't know how the demon was involved. I don't know how the whole thing went down exactly. But Dad's dead because of me. And that much I do know."

"We don't know that. Not for sure," Sam told him, but he could hear the lack of convincingness in his own voice.

Dean's hand dropped to Emmy's shoulder, squeezing. "You, Sam and Dad ... you're the most important people in my life." Tears prickled his eyes, his voice trembled. "And now ... I never should've come back. It wasn't natural. And now look what's come of it. I was dead. And I should have stayed dead."

Emmy found herself slowly shaking her head; _no, no, no, no, no, no!_ She was just accepting her father's death, she learned to live with the fact that he was gone because that's what people do, they leave. But knowing that he did it on purpose, that he had the choice to stay, to be with her, _that_ wasn't something you get over easily. No wonder her brother suffered, especially with the big what-if going through his head all day and all night.

"You wanted to know how I was feeling. Well, that's it." Dean swallowed hard, trying to compose himself. "So tell me. What could you possibly say to make that all right?"

Sam looked away, not knowing what to say, because like his brother said, it wouldn't make anything all right.

Emmy let the tears roll down her cheeks freely. She suddenly felt this wave of grief and pain washing over her. Not because of her father, but because of the realization that she could've lost Dean instead. She already came close to losing him, but they saved him. He got hurt multiple times, but he always healed. Emmy was at a point where she never considered losing her big brother, because he was undefeatable. But now she knew better, Dean was just a human and she could've easily lost him like she lost her parents.

She wanted to hit herself for thinking that she was glad her father made the deal. What kind of a daughter was she? Choosing her brother over her own father, betraying him, she should be ashamed of herself. And she was. But she couldn't ignore the small spark of happiness buried deep inside of her, the warm feeling that was grateful for having her brother. She would never admit it but if she ever had to choose between her father and brother … she would chose Dean … every single time. It hurt to think that she was more attached to her brother, the one that was _always_ with her, from day one. He never let her down, always took care of her, provided for her, loved her like she was his own. Because at the end of the day she was his, and not her father's. John lost that privilege when he let her down too many times. Emmy always considered Dean more like a dad than a brother, and he always treated her more than just a little sister.

Emmy couldn't stand the tears glistening in her brother's eyes. It wasn't right, he was supposed to be strong, her Batman, her hero, the one that never could be destroyed. But he was just a human just like her and Sam, he was so used to being the one who had to keep it together, they sometimes forgot that he wasn't as invincible as they all thought he was. He deserved to show his emotions too, his weakness, his tears.

Burying her head against his hard chest, taking in his comforting smell and touch, Emmy hugged her brother fiercely. She hoped he'd feel her unconditional love, her proudness and admiration for him. She wanted him to know that she was there for him as much as he was there for her. Because in this world, in times like these, they only had each other.

 _ **A/N: Hey beautiful people! Sorry for the delay (again, I know), I don't have any excuses except for school and life.  
So what did you think of my take on this chapter, make sure to leave a review, I'm addicted to them :p**_

 _ **Also, for all of you tumblr-lovers out there, I finally made a blog. You should check it out, but I warn you, it's not finished yet and I'm still trying to get the hang of it. So yeah, here's my name if if you wanna pay a little visit:**_ **mayremmy**

 ** _Thanks for all the reviews, follows, favorites and reads! You guys are the best thing that has ever happened to me! LOVE YOU!_**


	7. Simon Said

**Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural, only my OC Mary-Elisabeth "Emmy" Winchester.**

Emmy stared her brother down, her bright eyes narrowed. "No biting, only licking."

Sitting in the driver's seat, Dean turned to face her properly. "What do you mean I can't bite?" he cocked an eyebrow in disbelief. "It's ten p.m. and I probably broke every rule for raising a healthy child by giving in and buying you this ice cream sandwich, and all I get is _no biting_."

The neon lights of the gas station flickered on his sister's face as she shrugged indifferently. "You should've bought your own, but you didn't."

"That's 'cause I thought my sweet beautiful baby sister, who I love so much, would _share_."

"Not after you took all my candy," she shot back cheekily. "I bet you already ate half of 'em."

Dean couldn't help but roll his eyes. "How many times do I have to tell you, I haven't touched your sacred stash of sugar."

Emmy took a taunting bite of her strawberry flavored ice cream with a piece of biscuit. "Prove it."

"Nice try, sweetheart," Dean chuckled. "I'm not gonna show you where I hid all the candy."

"Fine," she smacked her lips, taking another lick. "Then you won't get a taste."

"Fine," he said in return, crossing his arms. "Then I'll tell Sam you bought the ice-cream behind my back when you know better than to eat that junk before your bedtime."

Emmy looked at her brother in pure incredulity. And they say _she_ was the child? Her brother was worse than a five year old tattle-tale. Un-be-lievable.

She huffed, reluctantly handing over the ice-cream to her brother. "No biting, only licking," she repeated firmly.

Dean smiled triumphantly, winking at her. "I knew you and I could make an arrangement."

Emmy didn't say anything and only kept a close look, making sure he didn't break her one rule. But who was she kidding, Dean only lived by his own rules … and that's exactly what he did.

"DEAN!" Emmy snatched the ice cream from his hands. "I said _no biting, only licking!"_ she scowled as she looked at the huge portion missing from the ice cream sandwich.

Dean had to hold his fist against his full mouth as he tried to contain his laughter. He swallowed everything down, still sniggering until he saw Emmy's face. Her shoulders were slumped, her bottom lip was sticking out in an unhappy pout and he even caught her eyes glistening.

"Here you can have it," she mumbled, giving him the ice-cream sandwich.

"Oh come on, Emmy." Dean reached for her when she scooted to the passenger side of the Impala. "I was just messing with you, sweetheart."

"Well, I don't want it anymore."

"Hey don't pull that face." Dean couldn't stand seeing that miserable and discontented expression. "Please, cutie pie?"

Emmy faced the window where she could see the men's restroom, waiting for Sam to come out.

Dean sighed, rubbing his chin in guilt. "Okay, how about you finish this one while I get you another one. You can even pick another flavor if you want."

The little blonde didn't turn her head but did watch him from the corner of her eye. "You'll let me have _two_ ice-creams?"

"Yup," he nodded. "And if Sam gives you hell, I'll take the brunt." It never ceased to amaze Dean how far he would go to bring back a smile to his little sister's face, but he did kinda feel like an ass.

Emmy pursed her pink lips, thinking about it. "Okay."

Dean grinned, leaning over to kiss her cheek, sealing the deal. "You stay here while I get you another one. And check what the hell's taking sasquatch so long."

"I want blueberry," Emmy called after him as he got out of the Impala. Dean gave her a thumbs up before going to the small convenience store.

Emmy waited for her brother to be out of sight before smiling in victory and wiping off the pout and sullen look. She had him wrapped around her little finger so tightly, and he had absolutely no idea. It was too easy sometimes. And even though her conscience pointed out the unfairness of her actions, she still felt that as a sister of two big brothers, it was her right to be manipulative once in a while. Besides, she just gave him a taste of his own medicine.

It didn't take long for her brothers to come back and Emmy was about to point out that Dean forgot to buy her ice-cream when she noticed Sam's facial appearance. He looked like death warmed over; his hair was in disarray, his face ashen and his eyes screwed shut like he was in pain. Dean had an arm wrapped around their brother's waist in support as he guided Sam to the Impala, and Emmy automatically opened the door for them, scooting over to middle of the front seat to create some space.

"What happened?" she asked in concern.

 **SPN**

Back on the road, Emmy thought of the last time her brother had a vision. It was back in Salvation, Iowa, around the same time Pastor Jim and Caleb were murdered by Meg. Sam had a vision of a woman getting killed by Azazel. Emmy didn't remember much, only that her brothers saved the woman … and her father was still alive.

With her head against Sam's bicep and her arms around his left arm, Emmy absently played with his long fingers. She didn't like the thought of her brother having this premonitions. It made him less Sammy, her brother, and more Sam, someone who wasn't her brother. And maybe she was sounding like a hypocrite, since she wasn't all that 'normal' either, with her pure soul and all. But this was different to her.

She had a hard time wrapping her mind around the reason and purpose of him having these visions. She figured it was to save lives since he only saw people in danger, but why _him_? Why was it always _her_ family that had to deal with this kind of stuff? Hadn't they gone through enough? They were just coping, handling the loss, things were getting back to normal, and then _this_ happens. Roughly a year ago, Emmy would've said it was God testing them. And like the strange man, Gabriel, from the hospital told her, _God only gives his hardest battles to his strongest soldiers._ But now, she was having doubts about the whole purpose of life, about God, about the good and the bad. Her faith was shaking.

The voice of the radio announcer pulled her out of her deep thoughts. " _Rockin' Nebraska. Your source for the classics, all night long."_

Dean reached forward to shut off the radio. "I don't know, man, why don't we just chill out, think about this."

Leaning his cheek against his fist with a propped up arm, Sam sounded almost impassive. "What's there to think about?"

Dean glanced at him before focusing back on the road. "I just don't know if going to the Roadhouse is the smartest idea."

"Dean," Sam sighed tiredly, "it's another premonition. I know it. This is gonna happen, and Ash can tell us where."

"And I would love to see Ellen and Jo again," Emmy piped up.

Dean was still doubtful. "I know you do, sweetheart, it's just …"

"Plus it could have some connection with the demon," Sam added, trying to convince him. "My visions always do."

"That's my point," Dean said. "There's gonna be hunters there. I don't know if …," he bit his tongue, trying to come up with the right words, "if going in and announcing that you're some supernatural freak with a, a demonic connection is the best thing, okay?"

Sam scoffed. "So I'm a freak now?"

"You've always been a freak." Dean ruffled his hair playfully, earning a swat from his brother.

"A gigantic, dorky, goofy, sometimes gassy, freak," Emmy looked up at her brother with a teasing grin. "But you'll always be my freak."

"Suck-up," Dean coughed.

"Shut up," Emmy stuck out her tongue. "You still owe me ice-cream."

Sam shot his brother a questioning look. "What ice-cream?"

Emmy's eyes grew, her lips drawn to a thin line. _Oops_. "Uh, I'm gonna go hit the hay." She stretched her arms, yawning exaggeratingly. "Good night."

"Get back here, right now." Before Dean could stop her, she had already crawled her way to the backseat where she made herself comfortable.

"What ice-cream?" Sam repeated, glaring at his brother.

"Ask her," Dean pointed at the backseat.

"You said you'd take the brunt," she reminded him from under her blanket, her voice muffled. "I'm sleeping now," she effectively dismissed them.

"You sneaky little brat," Dean muttered under his breath, before facing his brother who was still waiting for an explanation. "Alright, so I might've bought her ice-cream even though she just ate dinner and already brushed her teeth. So I broke a couple rules, sue me."

"Dean, you can kill every monster that comes your way, go through hell and back, fight through excruciating pain, but you can't say no to a ten year old?" Sam wanted to know, his voice increasing several notes at the end of his sentence.

Emmy couldn't help but giggle.

"Emmy," both her brothers shut her up simultaneously.

"It's just, she can be so, she has these, I feel like," Dean stuttered, not able to explain why that little monster had him so easily under her spell. "It's the look alright!"

"What look?" Sam questioned.

"The puppy dog eyes, that pout, that look like she's going to die if I don't do what she asks."

Sam was speechless for several seconds. "You kidding me right now?"

"I'm not!" Dean exclaimed. "And it's all your fault!"

" _What?"_

"You taught her that look," Dean argued.

"No I didn't," Sam retorted. "I didn't teach her anything, Dean. You're the one who needs to learn to stand your ground and not give in that easily."

"That's easier said than done," Emmy commented casually from the back.

Sam gave her a stern look. "Aren't you supposed to be sleeping?"

"Uh, you woke me up?" was her lame excuse.

"Go to sleep, Emmy," Sam told her firmly.

"But I'm not tired yet," she whined. "Can't I stay up for a little bit longer? Please …"

Dean's eyes switched between the road and the rearview where he could see those round, blue eyes looking directly in his, rosy pouty lips, eyelashes fluttering, pleading him to –

"Dean!" Sam snapped him out of it. "Just say no."

Dean cleared his throat. "Uh, what Sam said. Now go to sleep, Emmy."

Emmy huffed in annoyance but finally did what she was told. "Wake me up when we get there."

Dean caught his brother's shoulders shake in silent laughter. He slapped Sam's thigh. "Hey!"

"You really do never say no to pretty girls, huh?" he snickered.

"Shut up … bitch."

"… Jerk."

 **SPN**

It was past midnight when the Winchesters entered the Roadhouse. Emmy tried to rub the sleep out of her eyes, almost bumping against a table where two men busied themselves cleaning weapons, when Sam's hand shot out and pulled her back.

Jo took note of their presence and walked over to them with a smile. "Just can't stay away, huh?"

"Yeah, looks like," Dean smirked.

"Hey Jo!" Emmy grinned, hugging the taller blonde.

"Nice to see you, cuddle bunny," Jo laughed, kissing the top of her head.

"So how you doin', Jo?" Dean asked.

Jo didn't have time to answer when Sam cut her off, "Where's Ash?"

"In his back room," she pointed at the back.

"Great," Sam said, brushing past her in a hurry.

"And I'm fine...," Jo commented casually.

"Sorry, he's, we're kind of on a bit of a timetable," Dean apologized. "Let's go, Emmy."

Jo who still had her arms around his sister's shoulders, pulled her back. "Yeah, I wouldn't do that." At Dean's questioning look, she elaborated, "That's if you want to spare her the trauma." When Dean still looked confused, she waved her hand. "We'll be at the bar."

 **SPN**

Ellen split her attention between listening to Emmy telling her all about the hunts and Jo talking to Dean. It wasn't like she didn't trust the hunter, it was the fact that she recognized his type. The kind that doesn't do commitment, the kind that doesn't stay, the kind that doesn't look for more. Ellen knew that, she just hoped her daughter did too.

"… and then I saw the zombie, but she didn't even look like one. She just looked really pale, like she was sick or something. I was really disappointed. I thought I'd see more blood and gore – "

"Hey, sweetie," Ellen interrupted.

"Yes?" Emmy took a sip from her hot chocolate milk.

"You mind calling Jo for me?"

Emmy turned in her barstool, looking for Jo. She spotted her standing at a table where Dean was nursing a beer. They were having a conversation, and Emmy even caught her brother throwing a nervous glance at Ellen.

"Uh, I think they're busy talking," Emmy commented, not wanting to come between her brother and Jo. If there's one thing she has learned from her past experience with the girls her brother picked up, it's that you never interrupt them. She never really understood why, maybe she was ruining the girls' "plans" by showing up or because she seemed to take Dean's full attention away from them. Either way, Emmy had learned her lesson.

"That's exactly why I want you to get her," Ellen said, drying a glass like she was strangling someone.

Emmy instantly recognized the look in Ellen's eyes. The overbearing mother hen, simply protecting her duckling from the big bad wolf. "Okay," Emmy reluctantly slid from her chair, and walked over to her brother and Jo.

Dean noticed his little sister approaching slowly, her hands fiddling with her necklace. She gave him the look, the one that said _am I interrupting?_ Dean's lips twitched in a half-smile, his cutie pie was never interrupting, to him she'll always come first. He beckoned her over with a tilt of his head.

Emmy went to stand next to her brother, feeling his muscular arm snake around her waist. "Uh Jo, your mother needs you."

"For what?" Jo cocked a single eyebrow and Emmy could detect the annoyance, only it wasn't directed at her like she was afraid of, but it was directed at Ellen.

"Um, I don't know," Emmy shrugged.

Jo was about to say something when Sam suddenly hurried behind her. "We have a match. We've gotta go."

Sam had already grabbed Emmy's jacket and pulled her to the front door by the hand.

"Bye Jo! Bye Ellen! Bye Ash!" Emmy called out.

"See you guys later." Dean started to leave when he remembered something, "Oh and thanks for the heads-up," he added, referring to Ash's naked state. "That guy is lucky he still has his little Johnson 'cause if Emmy had been there, I would've cut his balls off," he said with a murderous, serious tone.

Jo bit the inside of her cheeks, trying to contain her laughter. "I'll pass it on."

 **SPN**

" _And even as I wander, I'm keeping you in sight. You're a candle in the window on a cold dark winter night. And I'm getting closer than I ever thought I mi_ – "

"Dean, shut up!" Emmy interrupted his singing as she rolled over to her other side in the backseat. She buried her face in Johnny's soft stomach, trying to block her brothers' voices so she could fall back asleep, which was extra hard when you had someone singing off key in the background.

Even Sam had a frown on his face. "You're kidding, right?"

"I heard the song somewhere, I can't get it out of my head, I don't know, man," Dean shrugged off. "Whatcha got?"

Sam looked down at the stack of papers in his lap. "Andrew Gallagher. Born in eighty three, like me. Lost his mother in a nursery fire exactly six months later, almost like me."

"You think the demon killed his mom?" Dean asked.

"Sure looks like it."

"How did you even know to look for this guy?" Dean questioned.

"Every premonition I've had, if they're not about the demon they're about the other kids the demon visited," Sam answered. "Like Max Miller, remember him?"

 _How could I ever forget his splattered brains,_ Emmy thought, hugging Johnny closer.

"Yeah, but Max Miller was a pasty little psycho."

Sam rolled his eyes at his brother's comment. "The point is he was killing people. And I was having the same type of visions about him. And now it could be happening all over again with this Gallagher guy."

Dean wasn't about to make the same mistake again. He was taught to chase and kill the bad monsters, that included people with murdering plans. "How do we find him?"

"Don't know," Sam let out a long, tired sigh. "No current address, no current employment. He still owes money on all his bills - phone, credit, utilities..."

"Collection agency flags?" Dean suggested.

Sam shook his head. "None in the system."

"They just let him take a walk?" Dean voiced his utter surprise.

"Seems like it," Sam lifted up his shoulders. "There's a work address from his last W-2, about a year ago. Let's start there."

"You guys done talking now?" Emmy's soft voice rang with exhaustion. Having to force herself to sleep, only to be woken up again and then forced to sleep _again_ in the same night, was tiring for the ten year old.

"Yeah, sorry." Sam reached his hand out to smooth down her hair and rub her back. "You can go to sleep now."

"For real?" she mumbled, already dozing off.

"Yeah for real," he chuckled. "G'night, honey."

"Nigh'," she muttered, barely awake.

 **SPN**

Dean fidgeted in his seat, trying to discreetly pull at his tie to loosen it up a bit. He always felt wrapped up with a ribbon on it whenever he wore his suit. Tracy poured some coffee into his cup but Dean didn't pay attention, he was too focused on his little sister spinning circles outside of the coffee shop. She had her rollerblades on and Dean feared that she would fall face first and knock all her teeth out.

Dean felt someone kick against his foot under the table and looked up to see his brother giving him that look, the one that said _pay attention._ Dean reluctantly looked away from the window and tried to focus on the matter at hand.

"You won't get anything out of Andy, guys. I'm sorry, but they never do," Tracy said as she finished serving them some coffee.

" _They_?" Sam repeated.

"You're debt collectors, right?" Tracy asked. "Once in a while they come by. I don't know what Andy says to them, but they never come back."

Dean cleared his throat after having exchanged a quick, almost imperceptible glance with Sam. "Actually we're, we're lawyers. Representing his Great Aunt Leta. She passed, God rest her soul, and left Andy a sizable estate."

Sam had to refrain from rolling his eyes at his brother's words. Not the explanation he would go for, but it will do. "Yeah. So are you a friend of his?"

"I used to be, yeah." A sudden hint of sadness flashed in her eyes. "I don't see much of Andy anymore."

"Andy? Andy kicks ass, man," a young guy suddenly exclaimed.

Dean stared at the man who just joined them. "Is that right?"

"Yeah," he nodded enthusiastically. "Andy can get you into anything. He even got me backstage at Aerosmith once, it was beautiful, bro."

Tracy fixed him with a pointed look. "How about bussing a table or two, Weber?"

Weber's lips formed a tight smile. "Yeah. You bet, boss." He threw them one last look before getting back to work.

Tracy sighed, shoving her hands in the pockets of her apron. "Look, if you want to find him, try Orchard Street. Just look for a van with a barbarian queen painted on the side."

"Barbarian queen?" Dean questioned with a cocked eyebrow.

"She's riding a polar bear. It's kind of hard to miss," she smirked.

 **SPN**

Emmy closed her eyes as she held onto the pole of a traffic sign, and spun circles on her rollerblades. She loved the feel of her skirt twirling and having the wind blow in her hair. It was like being on a merry go round, only this one made her feel a bit dizzy. But it didn't take away how liberating it felt, like she could fly. That's until she suddenly bumped against someone.

The collision threw her off guard and sent her spiraling to the hard concrete when two hands closed around her forearms to pull her back up. Emmy automatically made a grab for the pole to steady herself. She needed a second to pull herself together, trying to ignore the dizziness that suddenly washed over her.

"Are you alright, kiddo?"

Once the world stopped spinning, Emmy felt a big hand on her shoulder and lifted her head up to find a pair of hazel eyes looking down at her. The man had light brown hair and Emmy noticed it greying in some places. He didn't look young anymore, she guessed he would be around her father's age. He had a cleft chin and straight teeth that reminded her of The Cheshire Cat when he smiled down at her.

"I-I'm fine," Emmy answered, a little breathless.

"You're out here all alone?" he asked.

"No," she shook her head, letting out a little breath of relief when he dropped his hand from her shoulder. The man's hand felt cold and it sent a shiver down her spine.

He looked around a bit, as if trying to look for whoever accompanied her. "I don't see anybody else," he replied, even though numerous people walked past them on the sidewalk. "You know it's not safe for a little girl like you to roam the streets on your own. It makes it really easy for bad guys to just snatch you away."

Emmy gulped at his words, not liking how his eyes were intently boring into hers or how the corner of his lips twitched in what looked like an evil smirk. She was about to tell him that her brothers were right there in the coffee shop across the street but she bit her tongue when she suddenly remembered something.

"I'm not supposed to talk to strangers."

The man chuckled, but Emmy couldn't detect any humor in the sound nor in his expression. He got down to her level and she subconsciously took a careful step back. The way his eyes took in every inch of her face was unsettling. All Emmy could think about was calculating the time and distance it would take her to cross the street and get to her brothers.

"I'm not a stranger, sweet pea. In fact, I know your father," he grinned.

As if his scrutinizing gaze wasn't unnerving enough, Emmy suddenly felt a painful sting against the spot between her collar bones. She reached inside her shirt and found the object that caused the burning feeling. Her mother's necklace. Emmy dropped the glowing silver butterfly on top of her jacket. This seemed to have caught the man's attention because he glared at the accessory with narrowed, blazing eyes.

"H-how do you know my Dad?" she questioned.

Never taking his eyes off the butterfly, he answered with a clenched jaw, "Oh him and I go way back."

"I've never seen you before," Emmy commented.

The man finally looked away from her necklace. "Oh you have. You probably just don't remember. They say I'm a man of many faces," he winked.

"What's your name?"

The man looked like he had to think about that, which Emmy found strange. "You mind?" he said instead, pointing at the necklace. Before she could say anything, he had already reached for it.

She was about to pull away when she suddenly felt how the burning sensation disappeared. She looked up at the man in pure wonder and curiosity as he dropped the butterfly. His knees cracked as he stood back up and tipped his invisible hat, "See you soon … Mary-Elisabeth."

And with that he left, leaving a dumbstruck and utterly confused Emmy behind. She watched the man's back until he disappeared in the crowd before grabbing her necklace, lifting up the butterfly in front of her eyes. _What the hell did he do to it?_ _How did he do it? Who was he? How come he knew me?_ All these questions circulated in her head, making her dizzy all over.

Should she tell her brothers? Maybe this wasn't the right time, they were too busy with this case and solving the mystery concerning Sam's weird visions. Besides, it wasn't like the man did anything wrong, he was just weird … _really_ weird. And apparently he knew her father, maybe that's why she wasn't a stranger to him, that would explain how he knew her name. But that still didn't explain what he did to her necklace. All Emmy remembered was that one second it burned and then suddenly it didn't. The last time her necklace gave off that stinging sensation was when she was in front of Sam's burning apartment. With the use of her father's journal, Emmy found out that her necklace _glowed_ every time a supernatural being was close. But that man didn't look different at all, his demeanor was strange, his eyes could burn holes into her skull and he had this wicked smile, but other than that he looked just human.

Or was he?

 **SPN**

With the window rolled down and one arm sticking out of it, Dean whistled as he watched the van Tracy mentioned. She was right, it was a barbarian queen riding on a white polar beer. "I'm sorry, I'm starting to like this dude. That van is sweet."

Neither Sam or Emmy bothered to say anything. Dean casted a look in the back to see his sister absently fiddling with her necklace with a far-looking gaze. She was chewing on her bottom lip, something she always did when she was deep in thought. He reminded himself to ask her about it later.

He then turned to face his brother who also had his thinking face on. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Sam shrugged, not sounding convincing at all.

"Sam, you look like you're sucking on a lemon, what's going on?" Dean pressed on.

Sam wetted his lips, slightly shaking his head as if debating his next words. Dean thought he'd never open his mouth until he took a deep breath. "This Andrew Gallagher, he's the second guy like this we've found, Dean. Demon came to them when they were kids, now they're killing people."

Dean sighed. "We don't know what Andrew Gallagher is, all right? He could be innocent."

"My visions haven't been wrong yet," Sam retorted.

"What's your point?"

Sam dropped his gaze, away from his brother. "My point is, I'm one of them."

Dean couldn't help but roll his eyes. _Here we go again,_ he thought. "No you're not."

"Dean, the demon said he had plans for me and children like me," Sam stressed, trying to get his brother on the same page. But Dean wouldn't have it.

"Yeah?" he didn't sound like he believed any of his brother's words, but like he just wanted to humor him.

Sam turned in his seat to face him better. "Yeah, maybe this is his plan, maybe we're all a bunch of psychic freaks, maybe we're all supposed to be —"

Dean waited for the rest of the sentence but it never came. "What, killers?"

Sam swallowed hard. "Yeah."

Dean huffed through his nose in disbelief. "So the demon wants you out there killing with your minds, is that it? Come on, give me a break. You're not a murderer, Sam! You don't have it in your bones."

"No? Last I checked, I kill all kinds of things," Sam pointed out.

"Those things were asking for it. There's a difference," Dean shot back.

"Uh, guys?" Emmy's voice sounded from the back. She had been too caught up in her train of thoughts until she got distracted by a movement from her right. "Is that Andy?"

Her brothers looked to where she pointed, seeing a man dressed in grey pajama's and a long satin robe embroidered with dragons. He emerged from a two story house, looking up to blow a kiss to a barely covered woman. Emmy didn't know much about this stuff but she was sure about one thing, that woman was way out of that guy's league. Further along, Andy greeted a random man on the street who smiled at him and handed him his coffee. Andy then crossed the street to shake a black man's hand.

Sam hit Dean on the arm. "That's him. That older guy, that's him, that's the shooter."

Dean nodded. "All right, you keep on him, go."

"I wanna go with Sammy," Emmy said, already moving to get out of the car.

Dean was about to stop her but Sam interrupted. "It's okay I got her. You just stick with Andy."

"Fine," he finally gave in. "Don't let her wear those rollerblades though." Where was he when he let Bobby buy her those things? Oh right, he was too busy ignoring his sister, something he didn't like to be reminded of.

Emmy pursed her lips in annoyance but reluctantly pulled on her blue high tops, before climbing out of the car.

"Hey," Dean grabbed his brother's arm stopping him from getting out too.

"What?"

"Get in touch with your feminine side and try to figure out what's goin' on in that pretty head of hers, will ya."

"Just go, Dean." Sam shrugged out of his grasp, shutting the door.

 **SPN**

Sam followed Dr. Jennings as subtle as possible. He always made sure to leave a certain distance between them so it wouldn't look suspicious. Sam slowed down his pace a bit, knowing that his long strides were hard to keep up with, especially for Emmy. He had been so consumed with Andy and his visions, he didn't notice Emmy's changed attitude until Dean pointed it out. He squeezed her small hand, pulling her attention. "You're quiet."

Emmy briefly looked up at him. "Just thinking."

"You know what happens when you think too hard … "

A little giggle escaped her lips. "My brains will explode."

Sam smiled. "And that's not something you want to happen, do you?"

"No," she shook her head, tucking some hair behind her ear.

"You wanna tell me what's on your mind?" Sam asked, his eyes never retreating from Jennings' back.

Emmy didn't want to tell her brother about the strange man. He already had enough on his plate, no need to add her own problems on top. Well, not until her brothers got everything figured out. Besides it wasn't that urgent, at least that's what she thought.

"Is it about the visions?" Sam asked. "I know they bothered you last time."

It was partially true, Emmy did think about that too. So it wouldn't really be lying if she went with it. "Yeah. I'm just really worried about you, Sammy."

"Worried about what?"

She shrugged. "I don't know … that you're gonna change or something." She paused for a minute before continuing. "I know you're nothing like Max or Andrew, because you're Sam Winchester, and you're the best and kindest person I know. You just don't have a bad bone in your body, nothing could turn you into a heartless, evil man. No matter what Azazel told you or did to you."

"Then why are you worried I'm gonna change?"

"I heard you talking to Dean in the car, you're so sure you'll turn into a killer, like Max. I'm worried you're gonna change because that's what you think is gonna happen."

Sam went quiet, pondering over her words. She was right, as much as he tried to think otherwise, he couldn't deny it. "Honey, no matter what, know that I'm gonna fight with everything I have to stop that from happening," he reassured himself more than her.

Emmy squeezed back his hand, offering him a small smile. "I know you will."

Sam continued watching Dr. Jennings from a short distance. The man's cell phone rang, just like in his vision, alerting Sam instantly. The man picked up while Sam spotted the _Blue Ridge_ bus approach.

"What's going on?" Emmy took note of the alarming expression on her brother's face.

Sam didn't answer and pulled her towards the sporting goods store. He ran up the steps and inside, not noticing how Emmy almost stumbled. He looked around, seeing the same clerk and bystanders from his vision.

"Sammy talk to me!" Emmy demanded, confused as hell.

"My vision," Sam panted, "it's happening."

Before Emmy could say anything, he turned and dragged her away to pull the fire alarm. Through the window, Emmy saw Dr. Jennings hearing the alarm going off, preventing him from entering the store … _and_ killing himself.

"Good job, Sammy," Emmy praised, only now understanding his actions.

Sam let out a deep breath he didn't even know he was holding. "Yeah, let's go."

Once they were back outside, Emmy rubbed her shoulder. "You almost pulled my arm out of its socket with all that pulling though."

"I'm sorry about that," Sam apologized, taking a look at her shoulder.

Emmy looked up just in time to see a slick, black, shiny Chevy Impala drive by. It was the first time she'd ever seen someone drive the same car. It was strange seeing someone else driving it, only Dean, Sam and her father fit to drive that car. But this dude who looked awfully lot like Andy, driving an Impala with the same license plate …

"Sammy!" Emmy gasped when realization hit her. "Andy's driving Dean's car!"

Sam turned around and his eyes grew in shock. His hand automatically went to his pocket to fetch his phone, speed dialing his brother.

"Dean! Andy's got the Impala!"

" _I know! He just sorta asked me for it and I, I let him take it."_

Sam frowned. "You what?"

" _He full-on Obi-Wanned me. It's mind control, man!_ " Sam could imagine his brother pulling at his hair right now, probably on the verge of a heart attack.

Sam was about to say something back when the same _Blue Ridge_ bus he saw previously drove by again. He was momentarily distracted and confused as to why the bus was appearing again, this wasn't going like his vision. He noticed Dr. Jennings walking right in front of the bus, and suddenly everything went too fast. The only thing Sam could do was grab Emmy and shield her from the horror.

 **SPN**

Sitting next to Sam on the curb, Emmy watched as some paramedics put Dr. Jennings into a body bag. A hand cupped her cheek, turning her head away.

"Don't look, honey," was all Sam said.

Emmy was grateful she didn't see anything happen, but she did hear the sound of his body getting _smashed_. Poor Sam, he was less lucky. But she knew her brother, he was strong, he'd get over it. But that's probably not what bothered him right now. She knew he was feeling guilty, he was beating himself up about the fact he once again couldn't save someone's life.

Emmy noticed Dean looking around frantically, until he spotted his siblings. He ran straight to them, crouching in front of them. "Are you guys okay?" he asked worriedly. "You alright, Emmy? Look at me, baby." He grabbed her face in his hands, turning it side to side, studying her.

"Dean, I'm fine," she brushed his hands away. "I really am, I promise." So she witnessed someone getting run over by a car, she could honestly say she'd seen worse.

Looking her over one last time, Dean turned his gaze on his brother, putting a hand on his back. "How about you, you okay man?"

Sam stared ahead, his face void of any emotion. "I kept him out of the gun store. I thought he was okay. I thought he was past it, at least... I should have stayed with him."

Emmy and Dean shared a concerned look.

 **SPN**

After they found the Impala and did a full car check-up (Dean's order) which lasted almost an hour, the Winchesters set out to look for Andy's van. It wasn't hard to find the vehicle, not with its distinct appearance that leaped out at you.

"Not exactly an inconspicuous ride. Let's have a look." Dean looked around to see if no one was watching before he pulled a small crowbar out of his jacket and pried open the back door.

"Wow," Emmy's eyes widened at the sight in front of her. Fur rugs, a tiger painted on the wall, multiple books, and was that a disco ball?

"Oh, come on. This is, this is magnificent, that's what this is," Dean was in awe. "Not exactly a serial killer's lair, though. There's no clown paintings on the walls, or scissors stuck in victims' photos. I like the tiger."

"I never knew you had a crappy taste, Dean," Emmy commented, earning a playful swat on her bottom.

Sam let his eyes wander over the multiple thick books. "Hegel, Kant, Wittgenstein? That's some pretty heavy reading."

Dean grabbed the bong with a smirk. "Yeah, and uh, and Moby Dick's bong."

"What's that?" Emmy wondered.

"Something you put flowers in when cops drive by."

Both Sam and Emmy shot Dean a weird look, " _What?_ "

"Nothing," he said as he shut the doors. "Let's go."

 **SPN**

Trailing her finger over the handwritten lines in her father's journal, Emmy struggled deciphering John's writing. She tried to figure out if there was anything else mentioned about her necklace other than the stuff she already knew. The only thing in it about the glowing part was that the silver butterfly could emit a burning sensation in presence of a strong supernatural being. But there was nothing about how to stop that burning like the man did.

Meanwhile in the front seat, Dean groaned in disgust, throwing his food aside. "Ugh. You know, one day I'd love to just sit down and eat something I didn't have to microwave at a minimart."

Looking down at the stack of papers in his lap, Sam rubbed at his forehead in frustration. "What I don't get is the motive. I mean, the doctor was squeaky clean, why would Andy waste him?"

"If it is Andy," Dean mumbled under his breath, but it was still loud enough for Sam to hear.

"Dude, enough."

"What?" Dean shrugged innocently.

"The doctor was mind-controlled in front of a bus. Andy just happens to have the power of mind control," Sam reasoned. "You do the math."

"I just don't think the guy's got it in him, that's all," Dean commented casually, throwing a look at the rearview. He frowned when he caught Emmy buried in a book, her hair covering her face like a veil.

"Well, how the hell would you know? I mean, why are you bending over backwards defending him?" Sam questioned with a demanding tone.

"Cause you're not right about this," was Dean's simple reply, effectively ending the discussion. "Hey, is that Dad's journal you're reading?"

This got Emmy's attention, and she quickly shut the journal, hiding it behind her back. "… No?"

Dean's eyes narrowed. "Are you lying?"

"… No?" she repeated with the same shaky and uncertain tone.

Dean turned in his seat, draping his arm over the headrest. "What's up with you, huh? You've been acting weird lately."

The ten year old picked at the skin around her nails. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Emmy watched as her brother studied her, it reminded her of the man, only this time it wasn't creepy but nerve-wracking. Dean could always see right through her, it's almost like he could read her mind. It's one of the biggest reasons she never could hide anything from him. But if she didn't want to give away anything, holding eye-contact was probably her only way out. If she looked away from his gaze, it would be a sign that she was keeping something from him.

Dean was the first to blink and Emmy mentally gave herself a high-five for winning the stare contest.

"You know you can talk to us, right?" Dean squeezed her knee.

"I know, but you're worrying about nothing, Dean," she reassured him.

Sam opened his mouth to say something when someone suddenly appeared at his open window, startling him.

Andy slammed his hands down, leaning in. "Hey! You think I haven't seen you three? Why are you following me?"

Sam gulped, trying to stay calm. "Well, we're lawyers. See, a relative of yours has passed aw-"

"Tell the truth!" Andy cut him off, fuming.

"That's what I'm – "

"They hunt demons," Emmy interrupted her brother.

Andy's eyes grew as he looked between the siblings. "What?"

Sam shot his sister an incredulous look. "Emmy!"

"Demons, spirits, monsters anything your worst nightmares wouldn't touch. Except for zombies, they just look like the blood drained from their face." Emmy didn't know why she was saying all of this, it was almost like she didn't have any control over her own speech. "Sammy and Dean here are my brothers, they've been following you because Sammy's having these visions and he's psy– "

"Emmy, shut up!" Sam covered her mouth before more words could come out.

"I'm trying!" was her muffled response, she was as confused as he was.

Andy's fierce, demanding gaze switched to Dean.

"What she's trying to say is that Sam's a psychic," he continued where his sister left off. "Kind of like you. Well, not really like you, but see, he thinks you're a murderer, and he's afraid that he's going to become one himself, 'cause you're all part of something that's terrible. And, I hope to hell that he's wrong, but I'm starting to get a little scared that he might be right." Dean clamped his lips shut when he finished, his eyes widening in shock. He felt like he was under a spell.

"Okay, you know what?" Andy fixed them all with a fierce, angry glare. "Just leave me alone."

"Okay," Dean nodded without question.

Sam, who had watched the scene unfold in pure astonishment, snapped out of his daze and followed Andy as he walked away.

Andy looked back, surprised to see him. "What are you doing? Look, I said leave me alone," he repeated, emphasizing every word. "All right? Get out of here, just start driving and never stop."

Sam simply stood still, his hands buried in the pockets of his jacket. "Doesn't seem to work on me, Andy."

Andy looked stunned. "What?" he asked with a little tremble in his voice.

Sam took a step closer. "You can make people do things, can't you? You can tell them what to think."

Behind him both Dean and Emmy had gotten out of the car, but he held up his hand, warning them to stay there.

"Look, that's crazy," Andy started laughing, not realizing he was the one sounding crazy right now.

"It all started about a year ago, didn't it? After you turned twenty-two," Sam started, noticing the recognition in Andy's eyes. "Little stuff at first, and then you got better at controlling it."

Andy looked at him suspiciously. "How do you know all this?"

Sam pointed at himself. "Because the same thing happened to me, Andy. My mom died in a fire, too. I have abilities too. You see, we're connected, you and me."

Shaking his head from side to side, Andy started walking backwards. "You know what? Just, just, just, just get out of here all right?!"

Sam merely continued the confrontation. "Why did you tell the doctor to walk in front of a bus?"

This stopped Andy dead in his tracks. "What?"

A painful pressure in the head caused Sam to cringe. Flashes appeared behind his eyelids – fire, a hand holding a gas pump, a blonde woman. "Why did you kill him?" he forced through gritted teeth, trying to focus on Andy instead of the images.

"I didn't!"

The vision continued, hitting Sam with full force. His siblings noticed him starting to fall, and not more than a second later, Dean and Emmy already came to his aid. Sam felt strong hands catching him before lowering him gently to the ground.

"Sam? What is it?" Dean shook his shoulders.

Andy, still confused about what just happened, instantly put his hands up. "Look, I didn't do anything to him."

"A woman," Sam wheezed. "A woman burning alive."

"What else did you get?" Dean pushed.

"A gas station, a woman is gonna kill herself," he gasped, clawing at his temples. Emmy grabbed his hands before he could hurt himself.

"What does he mean, going to? What is he, what is – "

"Shut up!" Dean shouted, making Andy flinch.

"She gets triggered by a call on her cell," Sam panted, sounding exhausted.

"When?" Emmy asked, kneeling behind him and brushing his hair from his eyes.

"I don't know," he groaned, accepting Dean's support to stand back up. "But as long as we keep our eyes on this son of a bitch he can't hurt her."

"I didn't hurt anybody," Andy defended himself.

Sam shot him a look from under his bangs. "Yeah, not yet."

A fire engine suddenly roared past with sirens blaring loudly. Sam motioned for his brother to go, holding a hand out to Andy and stopping him with a hand on his chest, "Not you. You're not going anywhere."

Dean started leaving but not before pulling Emmy aside. He dropped his hands on her shoulders, and lowered his head to her level.

"Stay here with Sam, make sure he's okay, alright?"

"Mhmm," she nodded.

"You got your phone on you?" he asked, already checking her pockets. "Call me if there's anything, you hear me."

"Dean, is this woman gonna be okay?"

Dean sighed, throwing a look at his brother. "I damn sure hope so." He cupped the back of her neck, kissing the top of her head. "I'll be right back and stay away from that guy, Emmy. Got me?" He kissed her again before rushing to the gas station, hoping to God Sam's vision was nothing more than a vision.

 **SPN**

Emmy sat on the hood of an abandoned truck with Sam standing in front of her. He was fingering her necklace, flipping the silver butterfly from side to side with his face screwed in thought.

"Andy wasn't supposed to have an effect on you with this necklace," he mumbled to himself. "I thought Bobby fixed it?" He dropped the chain and looked at her. "You sure nothing happened to it?"

"I already told you Sammy, nothing happened."

"And you never took it off?"

"No, never," she told him honestly.

Sam didn't take his eyes off of her, instead it looked like he was searching for something. Emmy fidgeted under his piercing glare, she felt like being interrogated. After several seconds, she couldn't hold it any longer and dropped her gaze to her wringing hands in her lap.

"Emmy," Sam cupped her chin, lifting her head back up. "If there's something you're not telling us, now would be the right moment to come out with it."

She fumbled with the hem of her skirt, picking at the lint balls on her striped leggings. She knew she was trapped, there was no way out now. Well, lying was still an option, but she felt that would only make things worse.

Taking a deep breath, she said, "There was this man."

Sam straightened, he was on full-alert. "What man?"

"I don't know him, he said he knew Dad though," she explained.

"What's his name? How does he look like?"

"He didn't say. And he just looked like a man, nothing unusual," she answered.

"Emmy, when did this happen?" he asked firmly.

"When you and Dean were at that coffee shop. I was just minding my own business when he suddenly bumped against me," she answered.

"What did he do? What did he say? Did he touch you, hurt you?" Sam fired one question after the other.

"He was being weird and creepy." Emmy almost shuddered at the thought of the man's face. "He didn't say much, just that he knew Dad. And no, he didn't hurt me, although he did … "

Sam impatiently waited for the rest of the sentence. "He did what, Emmy?"

"He touched my necklace," she said so low, her brother barely heard her.

Sam ran both his hands through his hair, letting out a heavy breath. That explained why she was so easily influenced by Andy. But it still didn't explain _who_ the man was. Sam racked his brain looking for the person that might want to hurt his baby sister, and he didn't like how yellow eyes popped in his thoughts. He had no proof if the demon was actually behind all of it, but he definitely couldn't rule that out.

"Emmy," he cupped her cheeks, "when something like this happens, you come straight to Dean and I. Why did you even try to hide this from us?"

"Because … I don't know," she replied weakly, "You were both so busy with these visions of yours and I just didn't wanna burden you guys more."

"Hey, listen to me," he inched his face closer to hers, "we don't care if we're in the middle of something, hell we don't care if we're too busy saving people, when it comes down to our little sister, you always come first. When something's bothering you, or when things like this happen again, you come to us."

"I'm sorry," she muttered softly. "I just didn't think it was that important to tell you."

"With this line of work, you can never be too safe, honey. After everything we've been through, we just have to be on our guard every second of the day." Sam released her face, moving to sit down next to her.

Emmy grabbed his arm, draping it around her shoulder so she could snuggle up with him. "Are you mad?"

Sam looked down at her, squeezing her against him. "No, cuz I know you won't make the same mistake again."

"What about my necklace?"

"I'll call Bobby after we're done with this. In the meantime, never leave our side." He pressed his lips against her temple, planting a kiss.

Andy, who had been wandering around the abandoned parking lot, kicked a stone as he walked over to them. He watched the siblings sitting on a truck, watching his every move closely.

He cleared his throat, trying to shake off the tension. "So you guys hunt monsters, huh?"

Neither Sam or Emmy replied.

Andy watched the little girl, trying to figure out how old she was. "Aren't you a little too young for that? I mean, what are you, _nine?_ "

"Don't talk to her," Sam shot him a murderous glare.

"I'm sorry, man, I don't mean no harm." Andy's lips formed a nervous smile. "You know it was never my intention to scare you –"

"I said don't talk to her," Sam growled.

Andy awkwardly rubbed at the nape of his neck. "Right, no talking, got it."

 _What a marshmallow_ , Emmy thought.

It wasn't long before Dean called, delivering bad news. The woman in Sam's vision did burn herself, but it couldn't be Andy because he was with them when it happened. Which didn't make any sense to either of them, but what else is new.

Andy tapped his fingers against his thigh, he bit his tongue several times, trying to stop from talking, but he just had to know. **"** So you get these premonitions of people about to die?" he eventually couldn't help but ask.

Sam didn't spare him a glance and only nodded.

"That's impossible," Andy scoffed.

Sam laughed at how hypocritical that sounded. "A lot of people would say the same thing about what you do."

Andy wasn't so sure about that. "Yeah but ... death visions?"

"Yeah," Sam breathed.

"Dude, that sucks. I mean, like, when I got my mind thing? It was like a gift, you know, it was, it was like I won the Lotto," he smirked.

Sam frowned as he looked at him. "But you still live in a van. I don't get it, I mean, you could ... have anything you ever wanted."

"I mean, I got everything I need." Andy spread his arms.

Sam studied the man standing in front of him, trying to find something _evil_ about him, but he looked so normal, so harmless. "So you're really not a killer, huh?"

A snicker escaped Andy's lips. "That's what I've been trying to tell you!"

"That's good," Emmy spoke up softly, earning a questioning look from her brother. "It means there's hope for both of you."

 **SPN**

Andy had an evil twin, that was kinda cool, at least that's what Emmy thought. They were both adopted, so that explains why Andy didn't know he even had a brother. The woman who killed herself at the gas station was their birth mother and Jennings was her doctor, so that also cleared the connection. It was obvious that Weber was the culprit and not Andy, but Emmy still wondered why he killed all this people, or why he _made_ them kill themselves.

Andy, sitting next to her in the backseat, squirmed, nervously bopping his knee up and down. It annoyed the hell out of Emmy and it took everything in her not to simply grab his knee and force him to sit still. But she couldn't really blame him, it's not every day you hear you have a frickin' evil twin running around, compelling people to burn themselves to death or walk in front of a bus.

"All right, Andy. Tell us everything you know about this guy." Sam turned in his seat, looking at Andy.

"Well, I mean, not much," he stuttered. "I... Weber shows up one day, eight months ago? Acting like he's my best friend in the world. Kinda weird, like, trying too hard, you know?"

The street lights briefly illuminated the inside of the car, and Emmy noticed Sam's face contorted in pain as he rubbed his eyes. She shot him a worried glance, mentally asking him if he was okay.

"Must have known you guys were twins," Dean spoke up from behind the wheel. "Why did he change his name? Why not just tell you the truth?"

Andy sighed. "No idea."

"Aah!" Sam cried out.

"Sammy?" Emmy inched closer to her brother. "Sammy?" she shook his shoulder but he was unresponsive, holding his head in a vice grip. "Dean, is he having another vision?"

Dean switched his attention between the road and his brother. "Sam?" he called out, alarm ringing in his voice.

Sam yelled in panic, reaching for the door and struggling with the handle.

"Sam? Sam! Sam!" Dean stopped the car as Sam shoved the door open, leaning out. Getting out too, he grabbed his shoulders. "Hey, hey!"

 _Oh God, who else is gonna die now,_ was all Emmy could think of.

 **SPN**

The Impala pulled to a stop, near a bridge. Everyone got out of the car, circling the trunk, which Dean opened.

"Dean, you should stay back with Emmy," Sam said.

"No argument here," Dean surrendered, pulling Emmy closer to him. "Had my head screwed with enough for one day."

Sam pulled out two handguns and walked forward but was stopped by Andy.

"I'm coming with you," he insisted.

Sam started shaking his head, "Andy, no."

"If it's Tracy out there," Andy clenched his teeth as the thought of her getting hurt, "then I'm coming."

 **SPN**

While Andy and Sam handled Andy, Dean stalked to a hiding place with his sniper rifle, making sure to stay within shooting distance. Emmy trailed behind him, watching her steps as she tried not to make a sound. When her brother found a perfect spot, where he could easily keep his brother under surveillance and interfere if things went south.

Dean went to lie down, pointing at the spot next to him. "Emmy, get down," he whispered.

His sister looked around, hugging herself. "What if there's insects?"

Dean rolled his eyes with an amusing smirk. "I'll shoot them before they come anywhere near you. Now get down."

Emmy reluctantly complied, making sure her jacket was zipped up and her body entirely covered. She plastered herself against her brother, but he didn't mind. Emmy took in the sight in front of her – Andy and Weber seemed to be in a heated conversation, she couldn't see Sam anywhere which worried her, until she caught some movement near the car. She instantly recognized that mop of hair, belonging to her brother who lay on the ground unconsious.

"Sammy," a loud gasp escaped her lips, and she instantly covered her mouth when Weber's head turned into their direction.

"Don't move," Dean warned her in an almost inaudible whisper.

Emmy's body froze, she was pretty sure she even held her breath, especially when Weber peered into the distance. His eyes crossed hers, and her heart leaped to her throat.

Weber smirked evilly, "I see you," he mouthed, addressing Dean, before he looked at her. "Bye bye."

Emmy wasn't sure what was happening, until Dean made a strangled sound. She turned her head, frowning as to why his hand holding the gun was trembling.

"Emmy," Dean forced through gritted teeth. "Go."

Even in the dark, she could see the vein pulsing in his neck. He was restraining himself, but from what?

"Emmy, go!"

She flinched a little at his voice, not used to him talking to her like that.

"Dean, what's happening?" she asked.

Dean clenched his teeth so hard, he was sure he was gonna lose some teeth. "Dammit Emmy! _GO! NOW!"_

Realizing what was happening when her brother's hand involuntarily turned to point the gun at her, she instantly scrambled to her feet. She looked around, catching Weber's malevolent grin.

"Crap," she cursed. Throwing one last look at Dean, who was still struggling to get his finger off the trigger, she did the only thing she could do. Run.

Emmy panted as she tried to make her way through the woods in the dark. Her heart was beating so fast, she was sure it was going to explode. She could hear her brother's heavy boots behind her, hot on her heels. This wasn't her brother running after her because she ate his last M&M's, this wasn't her brother running after her because he wanted to tickle her merciless, this wasn't her brother running after her because they were playing a game of catch. No, this was so much different. This was her brother running after her because he was going to kill her.

Emmy's lungs burned, her chest ached and her spleen hurt. She knew she was fast, she always thought she'd be great at track if she ever went to a normal school. But she was fast for a _ten year old_. She was nowhere near fast compared to her brothers with their longs legs and years of practice. Emmy knew that she couldn't run forever, Dean was bound to catch up with her. She had no time to think of another way out when strong hands grabbed her, causing her to trip and fall on the ground. Emmy tried to roll away, when her brother's heavy weight straddled her, trapping her.

"Knock the gun out of my hands," her brother ordered with a strained voice as he pointed the rifle to her head.

Emmy's chest heaved as she tried to control her breathing. She was unsure about her next move, not knowing how she was even supposed to rid her brother from the rifle. What if she did something wrong and fired the gun? She knew Dean was never going to forgive himself, and honestly she wasn't ready to die, especially not like this.

"EMMY!" Dean snapped her out of her thoughts, his knuckles were white and tears glistened his eyes.

"I-I-I don't know how!" she exclaimed with a shaking voice.

"Punch me in the face," he commanded.

" _What?_ "

"Do it! Punch me as hard as you can!"

Emmy recognized his demanding and serious tone in his voice, and knew she had no other option. Bracing herself, she brought up her fist and aimed for his face … but the punch never came. Dean had grabbed her fist with his free hand.

Her brother cursed his own reflexes. "Son of a bitch! Emmy, you have to be faster, you have to – "

Dean never got the chance to finish his sentence when an unexpected fist connected with his stomach. Emmy had used his brief distraction, and he would be lying if he said he wasn't proud of her move. He doubled over in pain, and felt her snatch the gun from his strong grip. Emmy threw the gun away, as far as she could.

She closed her eyes, trying to catch he breath, thinking the treat was over but she was wrong. She could hear her brother curse and opened her eyes to see what was happening. His hands were trembling, he had balled them into fists. She caught a trickle of blood and realized how hard his nails were digging into his palms. She made eye contact, and instantly understood what he was trying to say.

 _Run, baby. Run._

It was hard escaping from his hold, especially with his knees on either side of her hips, trapping her. With much difficulty, she successfully wriggled her way out of his hold. Emmy turned to her stomach, crawling away from her brother when his hand enclosed around her ankle, dragging her back. Emmy's hands tried to hold onto something but only dirt got under her nails.

Dean effortlessly threw her on her back, his shaking hands wrapping around her small neck. Emmy could feel he wasn't really applying pressure, he was holding back, restraining himself.

"Dean, you can do it," she wheezed with tears threatening to spill.

"I-I'm trying," was his strangled reply as a single tear dropped on her forehead.

Emmy grabbed his wrists when she felt his hold tightening. "T-think of s-something else," she whispered, struggling to speak.

"I CAN'T!" Every single muscle in his body screamed as he fought against himself. All Dean could think of was how easy it was for him to snap her fragile neck and that scared him to no end. He couldn't look her in the eye, not having the heart to see the hurt, desperation and fear flashing in those dazzling baby blue eyes.

Emmy tried to move her legs but they were stuck under her brother's weight. It was getting harder and harder to breathe. She struggled to get air through her throat, she even struggled to see properly. Her brother was just a blur and spots started to appear in front of her eyes.

"EMMY!" Dean shouted. He could feel her hold on his wrist loosen up, her lips turning blue and her breath hitching. "Stay with me, baby! Mary-Elisabeth, don't you dare. Look at me!"

Emmy could hear her brother but his voice was just a faint echo in her ear, like he was too far away. She was losing touch, she couldn't feel the grass underneath her, nor the cold wind caressing her hair. Hell, she couldn't even feel her brother's hands on her throat. It was almost like being numb. She did see a man appearing behind her brother, but she wasn't sure if her mind was playing tricks on her. Emmy could've sworn she saw him before but she couldn't recall where, her brain wasn't functioning. The man had kind, warm brown eyes and a crooked smile. He was saying something but she couldn't make out what. She tried to zone in on his lips, which was easier said than done.

 _We really should stop meeting like this, sweetcheeks. I told you to stay away from the woods._

His voice was loud and clearly, at least it was in her head. Emmy's lips opened and closed like a fish, trying to say something but the man only smiled at her reassuringly.

 _It's all gonna be alright._

Emmy wanted to ask what the hell he was talking about but all she could think of was how it felt like she was floating on air, everything was so light, as if she was falling and falling and falling …

There was a loud gunshot, causing Dean to fall back. He instantly went to his baby sister who was lying so still. He choked on a sob, grabbing her soft face in his hands. "Emmy!" he tapped her cheeks, maybe a little too roughly but he didn't care all he wanted was her to just breathe. "Come on show me those beautiful eyes of yours," he begged with tears still pouring over his cheeks. Shaking her again, she suddenly arched her back, gasping for air and almost coughing her lungs out. Dean laughed in pure relief and didn't waste a second in helping her.

"It's okay, sweetheart. It's okay," he breathed, sniffing. "Just breathe, that's it, just breathe."

Emmy didn't know what to do, she was caught between coughing and trying to take in as much air. Her hands were clawing at her chest and her throat, leaving red lines on her pale skin. She felt her brother move behind her, pulling her into his lap. He had his chest against her back and one hand on her chest. With his other hand he trapped her hands in his, away from scarring herself.

"Breathe with me, baby." His voice was near, his breath tickling her cheek. "In … and out. In … and out. That's it, that's my girl. In … and out," he guided her with his hand on her chest, while she could feel his own intakes of breath through her back.

It took several seconds before she could finally breath again, with the occasional coughs that burned her throat. Once her vision cleared, her eyes scanned the sight in front of her, searching for the man but he left without a trace. "D-de," she rasped, feeling like someone was scratching her throat with sandpaper.

Dean shushed her, cradling her like a baby and slowly rocking her back and forth. He cupped her chin, looking down at her gorgeous face. He had to check if everything was still in place – her eyes, her button nose, counting every freckle on her face (repeating the count when he only came up with nineteen, while she had twenty two), every single hair on her head, the little beauty mark on her upper lip.

"I'm so sorry, baby, so sorry," he choked, stroking the side of her face gingerly. Hating himself for even touching her with the same hands that tried to kill her only a minute ago. Emmy swallowed with difficulty and Dean noticed her parting her lips but instantly stopped her from making a sound. "Shh, don't talk." _There's nothing you can say to make this right,_ his unspoken words hung in the silent air.

Emmy lifted a trembling hand, slowly wiping away a tear on his cheek. She hoped her brother wasn't blaming himself for this, which was highly unlikely. She knew him too well, he didn't have it in him to harm a hair on her head. And even when he didn't have control over his own body, he still didn't want to hurt her and did everything in his power not to. That's all that mattered to her.

 **SPN**

With the town in the rearview mirror, Sam was glad and relieved they could finally get back on the road and put this behind them. Well, not all of it because he was sure he'd never stop thinking about his visions and the other people with the same past as him. If only he knew what Azazel's plans were, he could prepare himself or do _something_ instead of twiddling his thumbs.

Sam shot a glance at the back of the Impala, checking on his siblings. Dean, who had refused to let go of Emmy since the previous night, sat in the backseat with his sister's head in his lap. The ten year old was sleeping, and even though her soft snores filled the silence, Dean still had to check her pulse and breathing every once in a while to make sure. He almost lost her only several hours ago and he still couldn't fully grasp what had happened. His mind still felt fuzzy, like he just woke up from a weird dream, one that left you wondering what the hell just happened.

"She's okay, Dean," Sam repeated for the hundredth time.

He still had to recover from the shock after his brother had told him what happened. Sam always was a _what if_ kinda person, he always had to question everything, it used to irritate the hell out of his father. But now he couldn't bring himself to think of what could've happened if his brother had stopped two seconds later … After all those years he and his family hunted, he always feared losing one of them. They risked their lives every hunt, every day, every second. But Sam was never afraid of losing his baby sister because in his mind she was safe. Nothing was going to happen to her, he wouldn't allow that. She was out of every monster's reach, nothing could touch or hurt her. But since they started dragging her around, letting her too close to danger, he should've seen it coming. No matter how hard he and his brother try to keep her safe, they should've seen it coming. Why didn't they see it coming? Why didn't _he_ see it coming? Why couldn't he have a vision about that, and stop it from happening?

"She's not okay," was Dean's quiet reply.

"Yes, she is," Sam insisted. "It's you who's not okay."

"I'm fine," Dean lied. Who was he kidding, he was far from fine. If someone, anyone, wanted to beat him to death right now, he would allow it. He wouldn't even fight back, he'd just let the punches come because he deserved every one of them and even more.

"Stop beating yourself about this, Dean." Sam would be feeling guilty too if he had been the one almost killing his sister, but they couldn't afford dwelling on this too much. Emmy was fine, she was _alive_ , time to move on. Sam knew he sounded heartless and some may even say he didn't care, but they were wrong. He knew his brother, Dean didn't need pity or comfort. He needed reassurance, someone to hold him up before he went downhill. Because if Sam didn't do something now, his brother would walk down a path filled with self-loathing, guilt and destruction. And they couldn't have that, that's not what Emmy needed.

"I almost killed her, Sam." Dean's fingertips traced his own handprint on the soft skin of her neck. "My own _baby sister_."

Sam sighed. "It wasn't you, Dean. You know that, Emmy knows that."

"Doesn't matter," he said, his voice merely a whisper. "I wasn't trying hard enough, I should've – "

"Hey, stop it," Sam cut him off. "If you want to blame someone, blame Weber."

"I shouldn't have brought her with me, Sam!" Dean growled, his calm demeanor gone.

"Like that even matters! The only difference is that the gun would've been pointed at _you!_ " Sam argued.

"Sounds better to me."

Sam huffed through his nose, biting the inside of his cheeks. "Look, I know how you're feeling right now, alright. It takes everything in me not to simply pull over and punch you so hard you'll wish I'd kicked you, but I'm not going to." Before Dean could say why because 'he deserved it', Sam continued, "Because it's not your fault. You were compelled to kill her, and yet you didn't. I don't think anyone is strong enough to hold off for that long."

"That's beside the point, Sam."

"No it's not!" Sam licked his lips in frustration. "You saw how easily he messed with your brain, how he made you do stuff in a blink of a second. You weren't even thinking while you were under his spell. The fact that you didn't pull the trigger without a second thought says a lot about you. If you ask me, I'm glad Weber compelled _you_ and not someone else, or even me, cuz if he did … that little girl on your lap wouldn't even be breathing."

His brother didn't say anything after that and neither did Sam. He just hoped his message was delivered and that he got through his brother's thick, hardheaded skull. And Dean did hear his brother, he understood but he just didn't know if he could ever forgive himself. Not that he wanted to, because he didn't think he deserved her forgiveness.

"Wish I could've been the one killing that bastard," he said, breaking the silence. "Would've done a lot more than shoot a bullet through his ugly head."

"You and me both." Sam couldn't agree more. "So, looks like I was right."

Dean didn't look up from his sister, his fingers still stroking her hair. "About what?"

Sam swallowed. "Andy. He's a killer after all."

"No, he's a hero," Dean disagreed. "He saved his girlfriend's life … he saved Emmy's life."

"Bottom line, last night, he wasted somebody."

"Yeah, but he's not a foaming-at-the-mouth psycho," Dean discussed. "He was just, he was pushed into that."

"Weber was pushed too, in his own way," Sam countered. "Max Miller was pushed. Hell, I was pushed by Jessica's death."

Dean let out a long, tired sigh. "What's your point, Sam?"

Sam's knuckled whitened as he gripped the steering wheel. "Right circumstances, everyone's capable of murder. _Everyone_. You know, maybe that's what the demon's doing. Pushing us. Finding ways to break us."

Dean finally looked up to meet his brother's eye through the rearview. "Sam, we don't know what the demon wants, okay? Quit worrying about it."

"You know, I heard you before, Dean, when Andy made you tell the truth. You're just as scared of this as I am." Sam shot his brother a knowing look.

Dean looked back down at Emmy, playing with Johnny's soft ear. He would be lying if he said he wasn't scared out of his mind. Anyone who was capable of making him almost strangle his own sister scared the crap out of him. But he wasn't about to admit that, not that it was needed because Sam already knew.

"Doesn't matter. Look, we've just gotta keep doing what we're doing, find that evil son of a bitch and kill it."

Sam eased his grip on the steering wheel. "Yeah, I guess," he said, not hiding the doubt in his voice.

 ** _A/N: Hi beautiful people! God I missed you guys so fucking much! I know, I know, I kinda left you guys hanging for a while, but damn these last couple weeks were hell. School is so time consuming and then there's my internship and I left for two weeks to France to work on some project. I'm just so happy I'm back now :)  
But enough about me, first of all THANK YOU for your support, 100+ reviews, followers and favorites for SIX chapters!? That's WOW! Like I still can't believe it… So continue giving me all your love, it really motivates me! _**

**_Don't forget to tell me what you thought about this chapter, I know you probably didn't expect the ending (me neither, it just happened). I'm still not sure if that was a right move … I'll let you guys decide about that. It's just some people requested more angst and wanted to see how the brothers would react if Emmy got hurt. So there you go. Also, I realize that what happened has a big impact on the brothers, which I will definitely explore more in the next chapters. We also haven't seen how Emmy reacts to all of this, so I'll also focus more on that too in the next chapters. I decided to leave all of that for the next episodes because I didn't realize how long this one was getting, that's also the reason why I left out some parts of the original episode. But that's the perks of being the writer of your own story, I can do whatever the hell I want :p_**

 ** _So you probably noticed how I added two "mysterious men" in this episode. Who do you think is number one, the guy who bumped against Emmy outside the coffee shop? And who is number two, the one that appeared when Emmy was losing consciousness? Or are number one and two the same person? Mhmmm *tapping my chin while looking up* …_**

 ** _Oh, don't forget to check my tumblr!_** ** _mayremmy_**


	8. No Exit

**Disclaimer: I only own my OC Mary-Elisabeth "Emmy" Winchester.**

"Oh, come on," Sam muttered under his breath, repeatedly pushing the button on the coffee vending machine, but the stupid thing remained inoperative. It probably wasn't a good thing to consume caffeine at three in the morning but after hours of tossing and turning in his bed, Sam gave up. He had too many thoughts going on in his head, too many questions, and all he got was jack squat.

He still couldn't decide if confiding in Ellen was a good move. He preferred keeping his personal matters between his family. It's not like he didn't trust the Harvelle's, he just learned from past experience that nothing good came from involving other people into their business. But it was already too late, the damage was done. Besides, from what he understood, Ellen had already figured everything out on her own.

Sam lowered himself on one of the benches, bumping his head against the wall behind him, hoping to get rid of all the thoughts plaguing his mind every second of the day. He wasn't going to admit it out loud but he never needed his father this much until now. John would've given him the answers he needed or at least help him find them. Sam just wanted someone to tell him what to do, something his father was really good at, much to his frustration sometimes. But right now he felt so lost, so confused and worried. He wished someone could just give him a clue so he'd know where to start. He knew this so called plan of Azazel wasn't only affecting him but his siblings too. And Sam didn't want to make their lives harder than it already was.

And then there was the whole thing with Emmy's necklace. Who was the man she was talking about? Did he actually do something to her necklace? Should they be more alert? Watching her twenty-four seven was Dean's approach but Sam wasn't sure if that was a good idea. He learned that anything can happen even under their watch. They couldn't guarantee her safety just because she was with them. They learned that the hard way …

Sam was lost in his thoughts until something drew his attention. From where he sat he could see that the light of their bathroom was on, meaning someone was up. That was his cue to get back.

 **SPN**

Emmy slowly closed the door, trying not to make a sound. She didn't want to wake up Dean, it was already a challenge to untangle herself from his protective hold but she successfully didn't arouse him. Tiptoeing her way to the sink, she first splattered her face with some water. It was ice cold but refreshing and soothing. She noticed how one of her brother's must've changed her clothes into one of their old t-shirts that came down to her knees. Even her hair was braided, preventing it from getting all over her face. As she dried her face with a towel, something else caught her eye.

Bruises. Lots of bruises and scratches. On her wrists, on her lower and upper arms. She didn't need to ask herself where they came from or _who_ they came from. But she knew that they were probably nothing compared to the ones on her throat. The mirror was hanging too high on the wall, but there was a chair right next to the tub. Chewing her bottom lip, Emmy contemplated her next move. Eventually she decided to just do it.

Climbing on the chair, she closed her eyes, afraid to get confronted with her own reflection. Opening her eyes to slits, she could make out a blurry version of herself, a version that looked good, nothing unusual. But the more she lifted up her lids, the more she could see the painful truth. She looked like crap – dark bags under her eyes like she hadn't slept for months, she looked pale, her freckles standing out more than normal, her lips were dry and cracked in some places and then there was her neck … It wasn't the fact that her skin was covered in bruises that shocked her, it was the fact that she could make out handprints, her own _brother's_ handprints.

Swallowing down the big lump in her throat, Emmy was reminded how sore she really was. She gingerly touched her neck with her fingertips and flinched went it felt like she just got burned. Dark blue, purple, yellow and even red. She looked like a friggin' painting. The slightest movement already hurt like hell. But it was probably nothing compared to what Dean must be feeling. Emmy didn't have the chance to talk to her brother yet. She didn't remember much from last night, only that he tried to get her to eat something, he also made her swallow down some pills which she did without fuss, that only proved that she was really out of it. Emmy had just wanted to close her eyes and rest, that was all.

She wondered how long her brother would beat himself up about this, he's never going to allow himself to live this down. Dean carried so much on his shoulders, so many burdens, it was a miracle he hadn't buckled under the weight yet. Since they were little it was always him standing up for her and Sam. Dean felt like everything concerning his younger siblings was his responsibility, he held himself accountable for every little mistake. Emmy knew that he was feeling guilty, that he was blaming himself but if he continued that way, it was going to be his downfall. She had to prevent that from happening, she had to make him see that this wasn't on him.

"Emmy?"

Startled out of her thoughts, Emmy blew out a breath when she saw it was just Sam.

"What are you doing up?" he asked as he gently closed the door behind him. "How're you feeling?"

"Sore." The answer came out broken and hoarse, merely a whisper. She wanted to clear her throat but instantly realized her mistake when she felt like swallowing down burning acid.

Sam's hands were still cold from being outside for so long, but Emmy didn't mind. He was cool to the touch and it felt good against her warm skin. She closed her eyes as she felt his huge hand on her forehead, making sure she didn't have a fever. She missed his touch as soon as he dropped his hands but didn't say anything.

"I got you something that might help against the bruises," Sam told her as he took out a bottle of cream. Even standing on a chair, he was still taller than her, her head reaching just under his chin. "So how did you sleep? You've been out for more than ten hours."

"Still tired, but not sleepy," she whispered gravelly, looking at the way he rubbed the cream on her arms. It was weird seeing his big and calloused hands working so softly and gently.

"Well, you get as much rest as you need. Trust me I know how it feels to have the air sucked right out of your lungs," Sam tried to joke but even he couldn't detect the humor in his tone. It was the harsh truth.

They were both quiet as he continued applying the cream on her skin. His teeth clenched as he tried to swallow down the anger burning inside of him. It wasn't anger directed towards his brother, because he knew damn well that if his brother hadn't been able to restrain himself, he would've done a lot more damage. Sam was furious with Weber, not only because his sick mind thought it was okay to attack an innocent, defenseless, little girl, but mainly because that girl was _his baby sister_. How screwed up does a person have to be to even _think_ of doing something like that? Is that what's going to come of him and all the other 'special kids'? And even though his siblings told him numerous times that he wasn't like Weber or Max, and that he wasn't bad or evil, Sam couldn't help but think _what if?_ If that were the case, he'll make sure to put a bullet in his own head before getting the chance to ever hurt somebody.

It wasn't until he started on Emmy's throat, that he noticed her shoulders shaking slightly. Sam looked down at her face to see tears pooling in front of her eyes, her pouty lips quivering. Thinking he'd hurt her, he instantly dropped his hands from her throat.

"Hey, hey, hey." He lowered his head to her level. "What's wrong honey? Did I hurt you? Talk to me, Emmy," he pleaded. She kept her gaze downcast, avoiding eye contact, biting her lip as she tried not to make a sound. Sam felt utterly helpless, reminding him of when she was just a baby and did nothing but cry and he and Dean had to figure out what was wrong.

A miserable sob escaped between her lips, tears rolling down her cheeks. Sam was about to ask her again when she suddenly flung herself at him. He was momentarily taken off guard but his arms didn't hesitate a second and returned the embrace. He started rubbing her back, careful to avoid any bruises. He could feel her chest heaving wilt silent cries, her hitched breath against the crook of his neck and all he could do at that moment was letting her know that he was there for her.

"I got you, honey, I got you. Shh, I'm right here, not going anywhere," he whispered in her ear as he slowly rocked her from side to side. He could feel her hands on his back, gripping at his shirt, her body clinging to him as if she wanted to disappear in his hold. Sam lifted her from her chair, instantly feeling her legs wrap around his waist, her knees pressing against his side. It seemed like no matter how old she was, or how big, she always fit right perfectly in his arms. "It's okay now, Emmy. Shh, it's okay," he kept repeating, his hand still rubbing her back.

Sam perched himself on the toilet, never letting go of his sister. He was expecting this sudden outburst of emotions. She almost died by her brother's own hands for god's sake, that's not something you just get over. Sam couldn't remember the first time he stood eye to eye to death, but it didn't mean he ever got used to seeing his life flashing before him. Every time he escaped death, it left a mark on him, and it angered him to no end knowing that his little sister was marked now, too.

It took several minutes before her sobs finally ceased. There were still the occasional hiccups and tremors but the tears had stopped. Sam could feel her fierce hold going limp, she was only resting against him now. He would've thought she had fallen asleep if it weren't for her sniffs and her fingers absentmindedly playing with his hair. Sam didn't say anything, he simply kept rubbing her back and dropping soft kisses on the side of her face.

"I'm not mad at him," she whispered with her cheek still resting on his shoulder. "I don't want him to think I'm blaming him."

"Trust me he knows that, it's Dean who's mad at himself," he told her.

Emmy sniffed, sitting up in his lap. She started wiping her face with her arm but Sam stopped her. He pointed at the bruises before reaching for a wet washcloth, dabbing it to her face.

"I don't wanna tell him, but – " she swallowed hard, "for a second I thought he'd really … you know … do _it._ I know he'd never do such thing, he'd kill himself before ever hurting me but it still didn't stop me from thinking that maybe there was a possibility he wouldn't be able to stop himself and …"

Sam nodded in understanding. He didn't need to hear the rest of the sentence to know what she was thinking of.

Emmy let out a shaky breath, blinking back tears. "I was so scared. I've seen him kill monsters before, he does it so effortlessly. And I was so scared cuz I knew that it was easy, _so easy_ , to snap my neck."

"But he didn't," Sam told her firmly, yet softly.

"I know he didn't, Sammy. He fought so hard and so long against the spell, I don't think anyone is as strong as he is."

Sam cupped her cheeks, wiping away the tears with his thumbs. "Not even Batman."

Emmy couldn't help but crack a small smile. "Not even Batman."

"Let's get back before he wakes up and realizes he's cuddling a teddy bear and not you," Sam chuckled, putting her back down.

Emmy would've laughed if her throat wasn't so sore and raw. "Would've loved to see his reaction though."

"We can still take a picture," Sam winked playfully.

 **SPN**

When morning came, the Winchesters decided to make a quick stop at the Roadhouse before moving on to the next town. It only didn't go as well as they had planned, not that it was supposed to be a Hallmark kind of moment, but entering upon two women shouting and arguing wasn't what they had expected. Neither did they expect to snake Jo's case, but that's what had lead them to Philadelphia to check out an apartment building where girls have been disappearing out of the blue.

"Can I try?" Emmy rasped, pointing at the EMF in her brother's hand.

Dean who was in the middle of scanning the apartment, looked down at her, his eyes involuntarily wandering to the bruises peeking out from under her scarf. "Sure," he said as he handed her the device.

Emmy couldn't help but frown at how easily he gave in. Dean normally never let her participate in anything that has to do with any hunt. Not even research or read a book, hell he won't even let her touch their father's journal. But now he seemed to have no problem with her using the EMF?

"You getting anything?" Dean asked Sam who standing at the other side of the room.

Not looking up from his reader, he simply shook his head. "No, nothing."

Emmy slowly ran her EMF over the walls, cursing herself for being so small. How was she supposed to reach every inch of the room when she wasn't even tall enough to scan the top half of the walls. What if it was the chandelier that was haunted? Well obviously she'd never know since she was too –

Emmy's thoughts were interrupted when her reader suddenly beeped. She moved it from side to side, not sure what exactly gave off the signal, until she ran it over a light switch. The EMF started purring madly with all the little lights flickering. In an instant, both Sam and Dean stood by her side. Leaning over a little, she suddenly noticed some weird dark substance seeping out from the light switch.

"What's that?" She heard Sam wonder out loud.

Being the curious little thing she was, Emmy touched the goo with the tip of her fingers. "Ewww," she pulled a face at the slimy consistency.

"Emmy, don't touch that," Dean chided lightly, rolling his eyes when she used his jacket to wipe off her fingers.

"Holy crap," Sam muttered as he also touched the goo.

"That's ectoplasm," Dean confirmed after he had taken a closer look. "Well, Sam, I think I know what we're dealing with here. It's the Stay-Puff Marshmallow Man."

Emmy couldn't help but giggle, earning a wink from Dean.

Sam rolled his eyes. "Dean, I've only seen this stuff, like, twice. I mean, to make this stuff you have to be one majorly pissed off spirit."

"All right." Dean composed himself, his serious features taking over. "Let's find this badass before he snags any more girls."

Exiting the apartment, the Winchesters walked down the hallway. Sam was the first to hear voices and pushed his siblings back, hiding around a corner. Emmy winced a little when Sam pulled her against him, his heavy cast around her upper chest from behind. But instead of making a sound of discomfort she bit her tongue. She could now hear the voices too and frowned when the female one sounded so familiar …

"It is so spacious. You know, my friend told me I absolutely have to come check it out, and I have to admit, she was right. You did a really good job with this place."

Stepping out from their hiding place, Dean instantly voiced his surprise. "What the hell are you doing here?"

With a fake smile plastered on her face, Jo grabbed Dean around the waist. "There you are, honey. This is my boyfriend Dean." Emmy would've laughed at her brother's face if it weren't for the next thing she then said, "And this is his buddy Sam and his daughter Emmy."

Emmy shared a quick glance with Sam who only wrapped an arm around her shoulders. She didn't even resemble Sam, she looked more like Dean. The only thing she shared with Sam is the gentle personality and the eagerness to learn. Besides, if Sam were to be her father that would mean he was only _twelve_ when she was conceived which is really disgusting if you think about it…

"Good to meetcha." The landlord nodded politely. "Quite a gal you've got here."

Dean smacked Jo's ass, causing her to laugh uncomfortably. "Oh yeah, she's a pistol."

Jo cleared her throat, looking up at him a sweet smile that didn't reach her eyes. "So, did you already check out that apartment? The one for rent."

"Yeah. Yes. Loved it. Heh. Great flow," Dean lied straight through his teeth.

"How'd you get in?" the landlord couldn't help but ask.

Dean's eyes widened for a brief second, it was so fast you would've missed it if you had blinked. "It was open," he instantly made up on spot.

"Now, Ed," Jo started, trying to change the subject, "um, when did the last tenant move out?"

The landlord scratched the back of his head as he thought. "Oh, about a month ago. Cut and run, too. Stick me for the rent."

"Well. Her loss, our gain!" Jo grinned like she just won the lottery. "'Cause if Dean-o loves it, it's good enough for me."

 _Dean-o?_ Emmy hid her smile behind her hand but it didn't go unnoticed.

"Oh, sweetie." Dean smacked Jo again while he used his other hand to smack Emmy's bottom.

Jo shot him a brief look that literally said _do that again and see what happens._ She pulled out a wad of cash and handed it over to the landlord. "We'll take it."

 **SPN**

Every chair around the table was occupied as each one of them busied themselves with something. Dean was cleaning guns, Sam was on his laptop, Jo was going through her files and Emmy was drawing a design for Sam's boring and plain cast.

The ten year old could feel a pair of eyes on her, following her every move. She wanted to bet that those eyes were green and belonged to a certain brother. She pretended not noticing the way he kept stealing glances, looking at her as if she would disappear or something. Emmy looked up to meet his eye, only for him to drop his gaze. This time he actually turned his back on her, like he didn't have the guts to look back.

"Does your mother even know you're here?" Dean wanted to know.

Emmy rolled her eyes. _Sure Dean, why not change the subject._

"Told her I was going to Vegas," Jo replied.

Dean stopped long enough to give her a questioning look. "You think she's gonna buy that?"

Jo's face would've given Sam's bitch-faces a run for their money. "I'm not an idiot. I got Ash to lay a credit card trail all the way to the casinos."

"You know, you shouldn't lie to your mom. Shouldn't be here either," Dean pointed out, turning away from her.

Jo glared a hole into the back of his head. "Well, I am. So untwist your boxers and deal with it."

"Where'd you get all that money from, anyways?" Sam suddenly asked.

"Working, at the Roadhouse," she shrugged as if it were that obvious.

"Hunters don't tip that well," Dean commented.

"Well, they aren't that good at poker, either," she shot right back, effectively shutting him up. "You're awfully quiet today, cuddle bunny."

Emmy looked up from her sketches, trying to clear her throat despite the rawness. "Trynna save my voice."

"God, you sound like you just smoked a stack of chimneys."

 _I wish,_ Emmy thought, not missing how Dean threw her a quick glance.

"What happened?" Jo asked.

Emmy blinked. She could see Sam's fingers hover over his keyboard as he stopped typing, she even caught Dean's back tense. Emmy liked Jo, she was like the big sister she never head. In fact, she never was this close to any female person like _ever_. But that didn't mean she was ready to pour her heart out, Emmy wasn't that close to Jo either.

"Uhm," she swallowed hard, "I don't really wanna talk about it."

Jo didn't fail to notice the tension hanging around in the air, her eyes darting between the siblings. "It's nothing bad is it?" Neither one of them bothered to answer her question and Jo wasn't sure if it was because they didn't know how to answer or if it was because they simply didn't want to answer. "What happened?"

Dean slammed the gun back on the table, startling them. "She said she didn't wanna talk about it."

Luckily Jo was smart enough to catch up on his tone that clearly said _mind your own friggin' business_ and made the right choice of shutting her mouth. But that didn't stop her from letting her eyes turn to Emmy who had dropped her gaze back to her drawing, her fingers absently touching her neck through her turtleneck.

The awkward silence didn't last long when Dean's cell phone suddenly rang. "Yeah," he answered, his voice still strained. Emmy watched as the hard lines on his face smoothed. "Oh, hi Ellen."

Well that explained why he looked like he just got caught red-handed with his hand in the cookie jar. Emmy watched as her brother held the phone back, having a muttered, heated argument with Jo who refused to let him rat her out.

Dean sighed in defeat. "I haven't seen her," he eventually answered into the phone. Emmy could hear Ellen's voice on the other end of the line but she couldn't make out the exact words. "Yeah, I'm sure," Dean said, shooting daggers at Jo who only grinned. "Absolutely."

 **SPN**

Emmy displayed her three designs for Sam's cast, letting him chose his favorite. There was Captain America's shield, Spiderman and Iron Man's metal arm. She had also suggested Batman but according to Dean there could only be one Batman. And Sam wasn't it.

"Which one do you want?" she asked with a raspy whisper, causing Dean to clench his jaw, something Emmy didn't miss.

Sam pursed his lips in thought, he was still amazed with his sister's drawing talents, every each one of them looked amazing. "Let's go with Iron Man, that one looks awesome." Sam patted his thigh, letting her climb on his lap so she could reach his arm better. He moved some blueprints from the building aside so she'd have her space.

Jo absently flipped her small knife around as she studied the map. "This place was built in 1924. It was originally a warehouse, converted into apartments a few months ago."

"Yeah?" Dean spoke up as he paced. He hadn't stood still since the call with Ellen. "What was here before 1924?"

Jo sighed. "Nothing. Empty field."

"So, most likely scenario, someone died bloody in the building, and now he's back and raising hell," Sam said as he never took his eyes away from Emmy's pencil skilfully drawing a rough draft.

"I already checked. In the past eighty two years, zero violent deaths. Unless you count a janitor who slipped on a wet floor." Jo huffed in irritation, shooting Dean a pointed look. "Would you sit down, please?"

Dean, a little stunned by her tone, raised a single eyebrow before taking a seat. "So, have you checked police reports, county death records..."

"Obituaries, mortuary reports and seven other sources," Jo continued smartly. "I know what I'm doing."

"I think the jury's still out on that one." Dean smirked cheekily. "Could you put the knife down?"

Sam looked up from his cast, sensing the palpable tension. "Okay! So, uh, it's something else, then. Maybe some kind of cursed object that brought a spirit with it.

Jo's chair screeched against the wooden floor as she stood up. "Well, we've got to scan the whole building. Everywhere we can get to, right?"

"Right." Dean walked over to her with a challenging glare. "So. You and me, we'll take the top two floors."

"We'd move faster if we split up."

"Oh, this isn't negotiable," Dean argued with finality.

 **SPN**

It took Emmy almost two hours to finish her drawing. She leaned back a little to study the design, turning the cast from side to side. It looked awesome, especially with the added 'led' in the palm of his hand, it actually looked like the real armor of Tony Stark.

"Thanks, honey." Sam hugged her from behind, dropping a big kiss on her dimpled cheek. "Now get started on your homework."

Her smile fell, replaced by a pout. "Aw, Sammy, do I have to?"

"Yes you have to, unless you wanna fall behind ... more than you already are," Sam reminded her.

Her shoulders slumped as she started cleaning up her pencils and permanent markers. She flexed her fingers, stretching the taut muscles. "But I can barely hold anything."

"You can use my computer," Sam offered. "It's just a quiz about the last two chapters from your science book. So you only have to click on the right answer."

Emmy looked down at her right hand. "But - "

"Use your left hand," Sam interrupted before she could come up with another excuse.

Emmy exhaled loudly, reluctantly giving in. "Okay then. But on one condition, can I play a game once I'm done?"

"Sure." He ruffled her hair, earning a cute scowl. At that moment, Dean and Jo entered the room.

"What did you guys find?" Sam asked.

"Somebody's keeping souvenirs." Dean held up a clump of blonde hair.

Sam came to take a closer look. "Where did you get this?"

"In one of the vents," Jo answered. She nudged Emmy with her shoulder, pointing at Sam's cast. "Looks like we got a little artist in training, huh."

Emmy smiled shyly. "Thanks."

"There was also this smell." Dean snapped his fingers, unable to come up with the right name. "I know it. I just can't put my finger on it."

"Maybe we should check for gas leaks," Jo suggested.

Dean shook his head. "No, it's something else."

"Well, whatever it is," Jo started, "I'm sure it can wait till tomorrow because I don't know about you, but I am starving."

"I'm coming with you." Sam grabbed his jacket, following her through the door. "The usual?" he quickly asked his siblings

"You know it," Dean clicked his tongue as he moved to the mini fridge, taking out a cold beer and a sprite. "Watcha doing?" He asked, twisting the cap with the help of his ring and handing Emmy the can.

"Homework." Emmy didn't look up from the screen, only having ten seconds to answer each question.

Dean frowned. "Why?"

" _Why?_ " She repeated, giving him a weird look. "Because I _have_ to. And Sam told me to." Before she could continue the quiz, the screen suddenly turned to pitch black. Dean's finger slid from the off button, closing the laptop. "What was that for?"

"It's too late for you to start on your homework now," he said as he took a long draw from his beer.

"It's only six o'clock," she pointed out.

"Exactly," was all he said.

"Dean I always do my homework in the late afternoon."

Dean smiled. "Not today."

Emmy studied her brother. "Are you alright?"

"You know I've been thinking," Dean suddenly got up, walking over to his duffel bag and throwing her something. "You deserve this back."

Emmy barely caught her bag with candy. "You're not supposed to give me this until another week or two …"

"Well, consider yourself lucky." Dean plopped back down in his seat. "Oh and yes, I did steal some of your M&M's but I already replaced it with a brand new, unopened pack."

Emmy watched her brother for several seconds. "Who are you and what have you done with my brother."

"Ha-ha," he laughed sarcastically. "Can't a brother be nice to his baby sister?"

"You're acting weird," she said as she squinted her eyes.

"And you're acting as if I'm never being nice to you. Hey I got an idea, you wanna go get some ice-cream?"

Emmy thought her eyes would pop out of her skull. "Ice-cream? Right before dinner?"

"Or we can just rent a movie for tonight. We can watch _The Princess Diaries_." Dean tweaked her nose playfully. "I know you want to."

"Okay, stop!" Emmy pushed his hand away from her face. "What is wrong with you?"

Dean leaned back in his chair, taking another long sip from his beer. "What?"

"First you let me use the EMF, something you only let me do once. Then you refuse to let me do my homework, you give me back all my candy and I'm pretty sure the deal was no candy for _one month_. Then you're offering me ice-cream when Sammy's just getting us dinner. And now you wanna watch _The Princess Diaries_ with me?"

Dean only threw her a questioning look as if he didn't understand what the big deal was.

"Dean you'd rather poke your own eyes out than go through one second of watching that movie."

Dean lifted his finger from the neck of the bottle to point at her. " _You_ are obviously taking my kindness for granted."

Emmy sighed, slightly shaking her head. "Dean, don't think I can't see what you're trying to do here."

"You mean acting out of love for my little sister?" Dean scoffed.

"No, you're acting out of guilt."

The room got so quiet, Emmy was sure she could've heard a pin drop … in China.

Dean finished his bear with one gulp, putting it back down on the table. "You could've just said no, you know."

"Don't do that, Dean." Emmy reached for his hand but stopped when he drew back. She didn't take it personally, knowing he felt exposed, unmasked. Her brother never took it lightly when someone got through the wall he kept up, the same wall that took him years to build, years to maintain.

"I don't know whatcha talking about." He rubbed his hand over his mouth, his boot tapping the floor, two signs Emmy instantly recognized as a show of his discomfort and nervousness.

"You need to stop blaming yourself, I'm not holding you responsible for what happened –"

Dean put his hand up. "Emmy, don't go there. Just don't."

"I am going there," she protested with a raised voice, but instead her voice only broke at the end. "I'm sick of you looking at me like I'm some helpless, innocent, injured puppy everyone feels sorry for."

"That's not how I'm – "

"I'm not done talking," she abruptly cut him off. "Quit thinking everything happening to me or Sam is somehow your fault. You're human, Dean, made out of flesh and blood. You make mistakes like every other living soul in this world and you need to move on. Now stop acting like you just ended the world and – "

"Sweetheart, I don't think you realize –"

"Do _not_ interrupt me," she threw him a warning glare. Dean let out a sound of surprise but she didn't dwell on it for too long and continued her speech. "I know you wanna shield me against every danger, every threat, every little thing that could hurt me – from harmless little insects to evil demons. But like I said, Dean, you're only human. If you think you can somehow protect me from all that, then you're just about the dumbest idiot on earth. You can lock me up, ship me to the other side of the universe, put an invisibility spell on me, it won't matter cuz danger will always find me. That's the kind of world we live in Dean, it's full of bad people, monsters and zero safety. And there is _nothing_ you can do about that. So quit blaming yourself, man up, build a bridge and get over it!"

By the time Emmy was done with speaking her mind, her throat felt rawer than before, and any sound she had left in her voice disappeared. But she didn't care, because she got to say everything she needed to say. And by the looks of it, she left her brother speechless, which could only mean two things. Either he thought she had lost her mind _or_ she actually got through him. She hoped it was the latter.

"If you don't mind, I'm gonna finish my homework now." With that she grabbed the laptop and Sprite, stormed to one of the bedrooms and slammed the door behind her.

"What was that?" Sam asked as soon as he entered with Jo following behind, carrying paper bags.

Dean got up, grabbed the keys to the Impala and his leather jacket. "I need a drink. Don't wait up."

"What – " Sam started but only got the door thrown in his face as response. Sam turned to Jo who put her hands up.

"Don't look at me, big guy, I'm as stupefied as you are."

 **SPN**

It was close to midnight when Emmy pulled on her PJ's, rubbed her neck in with the cream and swallowed down the glass of water in which Sam crushed one painkiller. She grabbed Johnny, pulled back the covers of the queen size bed and got settled.

She closed her eyes with a sigh and mumbled, "Just spit it out, Jo."

The blonde woman who had tried to watch as imperceptible as possible, startled. She didn't realize she was being that obvious. Jo got in next to Emmy and turned to face her.

"I know you don't wanna tell me what happened and you don't have – "

"Dean almost killed me."

Jo's mouth was round, her lips closing and opening like a fish breathing for air. "Uhm," she cleared her throat, feeling thrown for a loop, "I did not expect that."

Emmy turned on her side, facing away from Jo. "It wasn't his fault, he was being mind-controlled."

"I never said it was his fault," Jo quickly interjected. "The thought never even crossed my mind."

"Good." Emmy tucked Johnny closer under her chin, pressing it against her chest. "Can I go to sleep now?"

Jo was a little taken aback by being dismissed so bluntly. She didn't blame the girl though. She understood that Emmy would rather not talk about it, anything to just forget about that night. That's why Jo didn't push and simply reached over Emmy to turn off the light.

"Goodnight," Emmy whispered.

Jo smiled in the dark. "G'night, cuddle bunny."

 **SPN**

It was three in the morning when Emmy woke up with a start, drenched in cold sweat. She couldn't remember what she dreamed about, but it left her breathless and her heart beating like a drum. Her one hand automatically went to grasp her necklace while the other fisted around Johnny's soft fur. Next to her, Jo had turned on her stomach, her face pressed against her pillow, the only sound in the room coming from her deep breaths.

Emmy carefully and slowly climbed out of bed, before tiptoeing her way out of the room. She slipped into the bathroom to clean herself up, surprised when she noticed tear streaks on her cheeks. After she freshened herself up, she couldn't help but take a sneak peek into her brother's room, surprised when she only found one of the beds occupied. She contemplated just slipping into bed with Sam but she was sure her brains weren't going to let her sleep anyway. Which left the living room as the only option.

Turning on the television, she lowered the volume until she had to strain her ears to hear and snuggled up on the couch. Tom & Jerry was on but Emmy wasn't really paying attention to the cat chasing the mouse, she was too deep in her thoughts, so deep she didn't even hear someone coming in until she heard someone throw the keys on the table.

Dean took off his jacket and shoes, looking between the TV and Emmy. "You're still up?" he asked quietly as to not wake up the other two.

Emmy sat up, wincing when a muscle popped in her neck. "Couldn't sleep."

"Nightmares?" he asked as he got to his bag, taking out a t-shirt.

"Something like that," she answered softly as he quickly took off his multiple layers of shirts before putting on the clean one.

Emmy didn't have to ask why he changed clothes, because as soon as he took a seat next to her she could detect the faint smell of cigarettes, beer and cheap perfume clinging to his skin. But the clean smell of the T-shirt was stronger and she was grateful for that.

Picking at a scar on her bare knee, Emmy whispered, "I'm sorry for my outburst."

Dean didn't look away from the screen and simply rested his feet on the small coffee table. "You were right."

"I was?" she asked, baffled. "Does that mean you'll finally forgive yourself."

"Never," he replied without missing a beat.

"I forgive you."

Dean let out a long sigh. He finally looked down at her, his eyes roaming over her face, lingering on the bruises. He reached out to undo her hairclip, letting her hair fall in waves, cupping her heart-shaped face and hiding the reminders of what he had done.

"I don't want your forgiveness, baby."

Emmy swore that at that moment she could see right through her brother's eyes. His mask fell off, he was showing his true feelings now, his soul. She never saw this deep, so far into his eyes. It was like finally seeing what he hid behind that big, thick wall. Those green orbs reflected his real emotions – anguish, remorse, grief, anger, so much sadness and the further she looked, the better she could see that little spark of light symbolizing the shred of hope and love he had left. His eyes were the only thing that could tell her what he couldn't with words; _I'll try to move on for both our sakes, but don't ever ask me to forgive myself for this … I can't._

Dean hmph'd when a sudden weight collided against him. The smell of vanilla and pure innocence hit him like a rock and he instantly blinked back some tears. His strong arms circled around the slender body on his lap. He buried his face in her soft hair, closing his eyes to focus on the regular thump of her heartbeat beating against his chest, reminding him that the only thing he loved more than life itself was right here with him, alive and breathing. At the end of the day, that was all that mattered to him.

 **SPN**

Jo couldn't help but smile as she watched the sight in front of her. Dean was on his back, taking up all the space on the couch. Emmy was practically lying on top of him, her cheek plastered against his chest. Jo didn't understand how the two of them could even sleep in that position, but their faces showed no trace of discomfort. Better yet, they looked peaceful. She had to snort at how protective Dean was, even in his sleep. One arm was firmly around Emmy's back, holding her in place against his body. His other hand was cupping the side of her face, covering her ear and eye as if he wanted to block every sound or light that could disturb her from her sleep. Even the blanket was covering her up more than himself.

 _How adorable,_ Jo thought. Sam had already left to get them some breakfast so she decided to study her notes and blueprints. She perched herself on one of the chairs at the table, trying to make no sound as to not wake up the siblings. But her effort didn't make any difference when some sirens sounded nearby, causing Dean to stir.

Dean groaned, rubbing his eyes. He automatically looked down, needing to check on his sister. Emmy was dead to the world, her long eyelashes fluttering, her mouth slightly open and her cheek squished against his chest, reminding Dean of when she was just a chubby, rosy cheeked baby. The corner of his mouth twitched in a small smile as he leaned down to press his lips against her forehead. He closed his eyes for several more seconds before deciding to get up. Nothing was more difficult than untangling himself from sleeping Emmy, she always clung to him like a monkey. But Dean got years of practice when it came to 'escaping'. He slowly slipped away from her hold, stopping dead in his tracks when she moaned, mumbling some incoherent words. When she let go and flipped onto her other side, he let himself breathe out in relief before tucking one of his shirts under her chin in which she instantly buried her face with a content sigh.

"Morning, princess."

Dean jumped, turning around so fast it could've given him a whiplash. "How long you been sitting there?"

Jo flipped her knife, giving him a sly smirk. "Long enough."

Dean cleared his throat, rubbing the nape of his neck. "Where's Sam?"

"Went to get coffee."

He craned his neck, his muscles aching. "How'd you sleep on that big soft bed?"

"I didn't. Woke up in the middle of the night with a teddy bear lying next to me, thinking that bastard got your sister. You could've warned me you know."

"First of all," Dean started, taking a seat. "No one's taking Emmy from me under my watch and second, what do you mean you think it got her. I thought you said it only took young blonde women."

"Your sister _is_ blonde, Dean," Jo said matter-of-factly.

"She's _ten_ , a kid not a woman," he shot right back.

Jo fixed him with a knowing look. "All I'm saying is we can't rule her out, keep your eyes on her."

"Already way ahead of ya." He looked at her knife attached to her hand with consideration.

Jo watched as he moved to his bag, pulling out a Bowie knife, unsnapping it from the sheath and handing it to her. Jo frowned, "What's this for?"

"Works a hell of a lot better than that little pig-sticker you're twirling around." He looked confused when she gave him hers. Dean studied it and noticed initials engraved on the blade.

"William Anthony Harvelle."

Dean nodded slowly in understanding, taking back his knife. "I'm sorry. My mistake."

"What do you remember about your dad?" Jo suddenly asked. "I mean, what's the first thing that pops into your head?" Dean shook his head, refusing to answer. "Come on, tell me," she prompted.

Dean sighed, leaning back in his chair, his arms crossed over his chest. "I was six or seven, and uh, he took me shooting for the first time. You know, balls on a fence, that kind of thing. I bulls-eyed every one of 'em. He gave me this smile, like... I don't know."

Jo half-smiled. "He must have been proud.

Dean wetted his lips. "What about your dad?"

"I was still in pigtails when my dad died, but I remember him coming home from a hunt. He'd burst through that door like, like Steve McQueen or something. And he'd sweep me up in his arms, and I'd breathe in that old leather jacket of his." She laughed softly at the sweet memory. "And my mom, who was sour and pissed from the minute he left, she started smiling again. And we were... we were a family." She paused several seconds, her knife carving into the wooden table. "You wanna know why I want to do the job? For him. It's my way of being close to him. Now tell me what's wrong with that."

Dean quieted, looking down at her. "Nothing."

"D-dean?" a raspy voice called out.

"Over here, sweetheart."

Emmy sauntered over to them, her small fists trying to wipe the sleep from her eyes. She climbed into her brother's lap, rubbing her face against the crook if his neck like a kitty cat. Jo watched as Dean's fingers gently combed through her hair, his hand lingering on her throat. He muttered something so softly into her ear, Jo couldn't catch the words but Emmy simply nodded, her eyes still closed.

The sweet moment didn't last long when a panting Sam suddenly burst through the door. "There are cops outside. Another girl disappeared."

 **SPN**

Dean walked back into the room, having done a background check on the missing girl. "Teresa Ellis, Apartment 2F. Boyfriend reported her missing around dawn."

Jo looked up from the blueprints spread across the table. "And her apartment?"

"Cracks all over the plaster, walls, ceiling. There was ectoplasm, too." Dean looked around. "Where's Emmy?"

"Well, between that and that tuft of hair I'd say this sucker's coming from the walls," Sam concluded. "Oh, and she's taking a shower."

Dean walked over the bathroom, poking his head in without knocking. "Don't lock the door."

" _Dean!"_ she shrieked from behind the shower curtains. " _A little privacy!"_

"Nothing I haven't seen before," he mumbled with a roll of his eyes before joining the rest at the table. "So you guys find anything on who we're dealing with? Building's history is totally clean."

Jo picked up a photograph. "Well, maybe we're looking in the wrong place."

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"Check this out." She showed them the picture.

"An empty field?" Sam perceived.

"It's where this building was built. Take a look at the one next door." She pointed at the windows on the photo while dialing her cell phone.

"Bars," Sam muttered.

"We're next door to a prison?" Dean guessed with a cocked eyebrow.

"Thanks, Ash. And if you breathe a word of this to my mom... That's right. I will. With pliers." Jo got off the phone, turning back to face them. "Okay. Moyamensing prison. Built in 1835, torn down in 1963. And get this. They used to execute people by hanging them in the empty field next door."

"Well, then, we need a list," Sam told them. "All the people executed there."

Jo nodded. "Ash is already on it."

 **SPN**

Emmy flinched as she touched the bruises on her throat, they were still visible but they didn't hurt like hell anymore, they only stung when she touched the skin. Whatever Sam gave her, it worked. She dried herself, grabbed her clothes and started getting dressed, knowing that if she stayed any longer, Dean would probably drag her out. Once she finished putting her clothes on, she decided to fix that hair of hers. She hadn't combed her hair since 'the accident'.

She winced as she brushed her hair, pulling on multiple knots. How she wished there was some magic cream that could fix her hair in a blink of an eye. But you know what they say, pretty hurts.

" _So beautiful…"_

Emmy's hand halted in mid-stroke. Did she just hear something? She strained her ears, but only heard the faint voices of her brothers and Jo in the other room. Shrugging it off, she continued combing her hair, humming softly to herself.

" _So beautiful …"_

This time, Emmy heard it loud and clearly. She turned around, searching for the source of the sound. She followed the voice, guessing it had to come from the wall. She dropped to her knees, pressing her ear against the tiles.

" _Mine, all mine."_

Emmy startled, moving away from the wall. This was the thing they were looking for, the thing that got all these blonde women. She had to get to her brothers. She hurriedly scrambled to her feet, standing up when a sudden wave of dizziness hit her with full force, knocking her back on the floor. Her head felt so fuzzy and light, the room started spinning. Everything got so blurry, she could barely lift her eyelids. Emmy tried to work her throat, trying to make some sound but her tongue felt too heavy and her voice had failed on her. Then there was the smell, an intoxicated smell …

" _So pretty…"_

 **SPN**

Sam scrolled down a long list of names on his laptop. "A hundred fifty seven names?"

"We've gotta narrow that down," Dean determined. "Or else we're gonna be digging up a hell of a lot of stiffs."

Sam started scrolling down the list when a certain name caught his attention. "Herman Webster Mudgett?" He clicks on the name, frowning. "Wasn't that H. H. Holmes' real name?"

"You've gotta be kidding me." Dean got behind him, leaning on the back of his chair to read the screen. "Yep. Holmes was executed at Moyamensing, May 7, 1896."

Sam snorted in disbelief. "H. H. Holmes himself. Come on, I mean, what are the odds?"

"Who is this guy?" Jo wondered out loud.

"The term _multi-murderer_. They coined it to describe Holmes," Dean explained to her. "He was America's first serial killer, before anybody knew what a serial killer was."

"Yeah, he confessed to twenty seven murders, but some put the death toll at over a hundred," Sam added.

"And his victim flavor of choice?" Dean looked down at Jo. "Pretty petite blondes. He, uh, he used chloroform to kill 'em." Jo swallowed hard. "Which is what I smelled in the hallway last night. At his place, cops found human remains, bone fragments, and long locks of bloody blonde hair." Dean flicked a strand of her hair. "Boy, you sure know how to pick 'em."

Jo shifted her attention between the brothers, trying to hide the growing anxiety growing inside her. "Well, we just find the bones, salt 'em and burn 'em, right?"

"Well, it's not that easy," Sam told her with a meaningful look. "His body is buried in town, but it's encased in a couple tons of concrete."

Jo's eyes widened. "What? Why?"

"The story goes that he didn't want anybody mutilating his corpse. 'Cause, you know, that's what he used to do," Dean brought up.

"You know something?" Sam started, pulling their attention. "We might have an even bigger problem than that."

Jo huffed. "How does this get bigger?"

"Holmes built an apartment building in Chicago. He called it the Murder Castle." Sam turned his laptop, showing them the pictures he found. "The whole place was a death factory, they had, uh, trap doors, acid vats, quick line pits... he built these secret chambers inside the walls. He'd lock his victims in, keep them alive for days. Some he'd suffocate, others he'd let starve to death."

Jo chewed on her bottom lip, taking in the load of information. "So Teresa could still be alive. She could be inside these walls."

The brothers exchanged a look, nodding.

Sam got back on his laptop when he picked up on something. The shower wasn't running anymore, he couldn't hear water spilling, Emmy's soft humming, or any other sound for that matter.

Dean instantly recognized the _I-smell-trouble-_ expression on his brother's face. "What? What's wrong?"

"It's quiet in there. Too quiet …"

Dean didn't need to hear more and stormed to the bathroom. "Emmy?" he furiously knocked the door, half expecting her to answer it with that cute scowl of hers but all he got was silence. He didn't wait a second longer and barged into the bathroom, his heart dropping to his stomach when his sister was nowhere in sight.

"Emmy?!" Sam shouted, pushing past his brother. "Emmy!" He shoved the curtains aside as if she would be hiding in there. The vent in the corner leaked some gooey stuff and Sam didn't have the need to check it out because deep inside he already knew.

"You smell that?" Jo sniffed. "Chloroform."

"No no no no no," Dean whispered, shaking his head. He looked around the bathroom, noticing the SpongeBob towel, his mother's hairbrush, his sister's vanilla scented shampoo. This couldn't be happening, not again. He almost lost her and just got her back, only to lose her again. This had to be some kind of a sick nightmare, this could not be actually happening.

"Dean!" Sam grabbed his brother's shoulders, giving him a hard shake.

Dean blinked. "He has her, Sam."

"And we'll get her back, alright." When his brother merely nodded, Sam gave him another shake. "Dean! Snap out of it. We have to do something, do you hear me."

Dean nodded, clenching his teeth. "We need sledgehammers, crowbars," he listed off, his features hard and resolute. "We've got to smash these walls, anywhere thick enough to hide a girl." He was going to get his baby back, make the sucker suffer so bad, it will make Hitler look like a saint.

 **SPN**

Emmy woke up in a small, dark place, lying on her back. The air was thick, her body felt restricted and overly cramped. She blinked several times, trying to get rid of the haziness and that constant thud in her head. She lifted her hands, running them over the wooden surface. Was she in a box? In a coffin? Her fingers brushed against some scratches gouged in and she had to gag when the unmistaken stale smell of blood hit her nose. She was going to be sick.

Realizing where she was, Emmy clamped her lips shut, stifling the sobs. She sniffed, trying to look for a way out, but the compartment was airtight except for a small slit. Emmy inched closer trying to look through it. It was still too dark out there and her eyes hadn't adjusted to the lack of light yet, but she could still make out a round chamber with similar compartments to the one she was in.

Emmy didn't know if there were other girls in there. She didn't know how long she'd been lying down there. She didn't even know if her brothers noticed yet. And if they did, they were probably pulling out all the stops to find her.

"Hello?"

"Jo?" Emmy asked in pure astonishment.

"Emmy? Emmy is that you?" Jo asked frantically.

"I-it's me," her voice cracked.

"Oh god are you alright, sweetie? Did you see it? Did he do anything to you?" Jo fired one question after the other.

"I'm f-fine … I guess. And no I haven't seen it yet." Emmy let out a shaky breath. "What are you doing here, Jo?"

"Uhm, trying to rescue you," she said sheepishly.

"By getting yourself caught?"

Jo cleared her throat. "Yeah, that wasn't really part of the plan. But don't worry, your brothers are out there. They'll get us out."

"Is - is anybody there?" Another shaky voice sounded.

Jo tried to turn in the small space but found herself unable to. "Your name's Teresa?"

"Yes," was the weak response. "Oh god. He's out there, he's gonna kill us!"

"No, he won't. We're getting out. My friends are looking for us, they'll find us."

Emmy admired the way Jo tried to sound strong for all of them. She just hoped her heroes were going to get here soon before anyone got hurt. She didn't know if it was because of Jo being there or the thought that her brothers were out there looking for her, but she didn't feel as scared as she was before. She trusted Sam, Dean and Jo, she was safe with them. Maybe that's what kept her calm.

"Oh god, it's him!" Teresa cried as quiet footsteps fell nearby.

Jo shushed her. "Just be quiet!"

Emmy looked around not seeing anything until a man unexpectedly appeared in the middle of the room. She covered her mouth with a trembling hand, silencing her whimpering. He looked filthy, his clothes were ragged and with his beard he looked like a homeless guy. But Emmy knew better when she saw him flicker and glide in a way only spirits could.

She blinked and the man suddenly disappeared. Thinking he was gone, Emmy blinked again and let out a petrified scream when a pair of bloodshot eyes stared right at her through the small slit. He reached out to her with his ghostly hand, all the while muttering how pretty she was. Emmy found it hard to fight him off being in such a constricted space. She shuddered when his bony, grey fingers touched her hair which was still a little wet from her shower.

"So beautiful…" he whispered.

"Hey!" Jo shouted. "Get your creepy hands off of her!"

The spirit paid no attention to her and instead brought a piece of Emmy's hair to his nose, taking a whiff. His eyes rolled back in his head as if he just got a taste of a drug. Emmy recoiled in disgust and flinched when he give her hair a hard tug enough to get some strands loose.

"Mhmm pretty," he moaned, staring at her like he just discovered the eighth Wonder of the World. His gaze filled with pure wonder and admiration. His hand hovered over her arms, her face, never really touching her skin. Emmy gulped in horror, not liking the way he looked at her or how his bony hands caressed her. "So bright, so luminous … "

 _What the hell is he talking about,_ Emmy wondered.

"Leave her alone, you sick bastard!"

The spirit turned abruptly, his eyes narrowed as he stalked over to Jo. She let out a scream in pain when he ripped off a chunk of her hair.

"Go to hell!" she spat furiously. Taking out her knife, she stabbed it into his hand causing it to roar and flee. "How do you like that? Pure iron, you creepy-ass son of a bitch!"

Everything went suddenly quiet. The only sounds were Teresa's soft cries.

"I-is he gone?" Emmy breathed, peeping through the slit.

Jo scrutinized every inch of the chamber, detecting no movements or any sign of the spirit. "I don't know."

 **SPN**

Seconds, minutes, hours passed before Emmy closed her eyes, bringing herself to catch her breath for several seconds. She thought about the spirit, his words. What did he mean by _glowing_ and _so luminous_? Last time she checked, this dump was darker than midnight. She didn't have the chance to ponder on that thought for too long when a hand clamped down over her mouth on the spur of the moment. Emmy's eyes flew open to see the spirit leaning down on her. She tried to scream but he gagged her.

"Shh…" he said so quietly, still inching closer to her face.

Emmy struggled, feeling powerless.

"HEY!" The sound of a firing gun rung through her ears. The spirit was sent flying backwards and out of sight.

"Emmy!?" Sam and Dean called out. "Jo!"

Emmy would've yelled back but she couldn't find her voice.

"I'm here!" Jo hollered.

"Emmy!" the brothers shouted again.

"She's in there," Jo said while Sam helped her out.

Emmy heard the wooden bars around her crack and break into pieces. Before she could do anything, two strong hands lifted her up and out of the compartment. Dean got on his knee, checking her over, his hands searching for any wounds or bruises. Emmy grabbed her brother's hands, stopping him.

"I-I'm fine." She tried to sound reassuring, but Dean wouldn't have it and kept making sure she was okay.

He cupped her chin, staring firmly into her eyes. "You sure?" She nodded. "Are you hurt?" She shook her head no. "Did he touch you?" He caught his sister biting her lip and that was the only answer he needed. "I'm gonna end that son of a bitch," he forced through gritted teeth.

"You alright, honey?" Sam asked next, cupping her cheeks, his eyes searching. She nodded once again and let him pull her into his warm hug. That's when Emmy noticed the remains of some body parts in one of the other compartments. Sam felt her tense and was about to ask what was going on when Dean gave him the sign of turning around. Sam did and understood when he saw the sight.

Jo hugged herself, looking around. "Let's get the hell out of here before he comes back."

Dean shared a quick glance with his brother. "Actually, I don't think you're leaving here just yet."

Jo's eyes switched between them. "What?"

"Remember when I said you being bait was a bad plan?" Dean started, taking Emmy from Sam's arms while his brother went to get Teresa. "Now it's kind of the only one we got."

"I can help," Emmy piped up.

"No," the three of them refused.

"I'll do this," Jo decided with firmness.

 **SPN**

Emmy was more than relieved when they had finally trapped Holmes. She kinda felt bad for not having been able to save the other victims, except for Teresa. But the thought that the spirit was now trapped in a circle of salt, unable to hurt any other blonde girl, put her mind to rest. Especially when Dean made it impossible for anyone to find the sewer or for a storm to wash the salt away with the help of cement. _That oughta keep him down there till hell freezes over_ , is what he had said.

Now there was nothing Emmy would rather do than close her eyes and let sleep take over. But that was hard to do when you were sitting in the middle of the backseat, with Sam on one side and Jo on the other. Dean was in his usual seat behind the wheel, where he usually felt more home than anywhere else. But by his fidgeting, he looked anything but comfortable. That was understandable, especially when a pissed off woman who was restraining herself from kicking his ass was sitting right next to him.

Dean glanced nervously to his right where Ellen stared ahead with a set jaw. He cleared his throat. "Boy, you, you really weren't kidding about flying out, were you?" He waited for a reaction but all Ellen did was blink. Dean wiped off the smile on his face and flicked the radio on. Anything to fill the awkward silence. "How about we listen to some music?"

The moment the instruments started, Emmy instantly recognized the song and knew this was a wrong choice of music. She exchanged a nervous glance with Jo and Sam and knew they were on the same page.

 _"_ _You're as cold as ice..."_

Ellen reached forward, turning the radio off.

Dean sighed heavily. "This is gonna be a long drive."

 **SPN**

Emmy sat on the hood of the Impala, staring at the Roadhouse where Ellen had stormed in, dragging Jo by the elbow. She could hear the mother and daughter having a heated conversation and hoped that Ellen wasn't going be too hard on Jo. She just wanted to do something good, save those girls. Emmy understood that if she had done what Jo did, her father wouldn't have reacted mildly either. Hell, even Sam and Dean would tear her a new one.

"You know I've done some thinking," Dean broke the silence.

"Uh-oh," both Sam and Emmy said at the same time, earning an eye roll from their brother.

Dean looked down at Emmy. "I think we should start training you."

His sister looked around, confused. "Are you talking to me?"

"I'm looking at _you,_ aren't I." Dean cracked a smile, pinching her chin.

A huge grin threatened to split her face in two. "This is so cool! I can't wait!"

"Yeah, well don't get too excited, it's just the basics."

Emmy nodded eagerly. "Basics is good enough for me."

"You know I think this is a great idea," Sam commented. "I would be a lot more at ease knowing that you could protect yourself."

"Yeah, but that will still always be _our_ main job, okay?" Dean pointed at himself and Sam. "We only want you to fight when neither of us are around, got it?"

Emmy was kind of nervous about this, but she was mostly thrilled. "Does that mean I can go with you on hunts and fight zombies and torch spirits and – oh my god, Sammy will you teach me how to read Latin? I can memorize the incantations and actually help you guys exorcise a demon. Oh, Dean you can help me fire a gun! My aim is really good, I can do all kinds of –"

"You're getting way ahead of yourself," Sam chuckled. "One step at a time, honey."

Dean patted her head, letting his hand stroke her hair back. "Yeah, one step at a time," he said with hesitancy and doubt dripping from his voice. He was already regretting his choice and they haven't even started yet.

"What changed your mind?" Emmy questioned suddenly.

Dean let his fingers linger in her hair, caressing the soft strands. "I just realized that you were right."

"Right about what?" Sam wondered.

"We're not always gonna be around to protect you. And as much as I'd like to think we can shield you from every monster, demon, ghost and whatever it is that deserves to be ganked … I know that's impossible. We'd do anything to keep you safe, but sometimes that's not enough." Dean looked down at Emmy. "We're gonna need your help in this, too."

"You can count on me." Emmy smiled, hugging both her brothers' arms, feeling them drop a kiss on top of her head.

The door to the Roadhouse slammed hard, pulling the siblings' attention. Jo came storming out, her nostrils flaring. She walked past the Impala and glared at them with such ferocity, Emmy had to gulp.

"That bad, huh?" Dean followed her when she kept stalking.

"Not right now," she said through clenched teeth, fuming.

"What happened? Hey, talk to me." Dean grabbed her only for her to wrench her arm away.

"Get off me!"

Emmy threw Sam a questioning look. What was going on?

"Sorry." Dean pulled his hands up in surrender, turning to leave. "See you around."

"Dean," Jo took a step closer. "It turns out my dad had a partner on his last hunt. Funny, he usually worked alone; this guy did too, but... I guess my father figured he could trust him." She crossed her arms, trying to hold herself together. "Mistake. Guy screwed up, got my dad killed."

Dean frowned. "What does this have to do with—"

"It was your father, Dean," she blurted out, her lips trembling.

 _What?_ Emmy felt her throat tightening, her brain clogged, she couldn't think straight. Did she just hear that right? Throwing one look at her brothers, she knew she heard Jo perfectly. Was she talking about the same man? Her father? _John Winchester?_

"Why do you think John never came back? Never told you about us?" Jo confronted. "Because he couldn't look my mom in the eye after that, that's why."

Emmy shook her head slowly. This had to be some kind of a confusion, a mix up. The man she called daddy would never do such thing. Her father was good at what he did, he was the greatest hunter to have walked the earth. John Winchester didn't make mistakes, he was too experienced, professional and skilled. Was he really not that invincible as she had thought he was? Or maybe, maybe he was just like Dean … made out of flesh and blood, human … and humans make mistakes.

 ** _A/N: Hi beautiful readers! I hope I didn't let you guys wait too long for this update. I'll have you know, it's almost three in the morning over here, and I have to wake early for school tomorrow, but I decided to post this first just because I love you guys too much. I think I deserve your praise (by favoriting, following or reviewing) just for that ;-)_**

 ** _I hope you guys liked this chapter. Let me know how I did with Emmy's and Dean's feelings and thoughts and all that. This was probably one of the hardest chapters I've ever written. I struggled so much, you have no idea how many times I rewrote parts only to simply delete them in the end. God, I'm glad I finally finished this one._**

 ** _Next chapter (The usual suspects) will mostly be AU. Also, some of you asked me to bring Michael from 'Something Wicked' back, so I wanted to know from you guys if you'd like for him to make an appearance next chapter or not._**

 ** _Thank you for your kind words en encouragement! XXXXXXXXXXXXX_**

 ** _Don't forget to check out my tumblr_** ** _mayremmy_**

 **** **PS: I'M ALSO GONNA CHANGE MY USERNAME FROM MAYREM TO MAYREMMY ON FANFICTION!** (Just a small detail)


	9. Crossroad Blues

**Disclaimer: I only own my OC Mary-Elisabeth "Emmy" Winchester.**

Emmy grabbed Dean's wrist, checking his watch for the tenth time and blew a breath in annoyance. It had been more than fifteen minutes since the waitress took their orders. "Why are waiters called waiters when we're the ones who do all the waiting?"

"Why are pizza boxes square when the pizza is round?" Dean retorted, earning a weird look from his sister. "No one knows." He tapped her nose.

"So much for our low profile," Sam spoke up from behind his laptop as he looked at the mug shot of his brother. "You've got a warrant in St. Louis, and now you're officially in the Fed's database."

Emmy took a look, frowning when they stated Dean's hair and eyes were brown. Her brother had green eyes and his hair was sandy brown. _Get your facts right_ , she thought with a roll of her eyes.

Dean took a sip from his drink, his lips twisted in a grin. "Dude, I'm like Dillinger or something."

Sam's eyebrows shot up in disbelief. "Dean, it's not funny. Makes the job harder, we've gotta be more careful now."

"Well, what do they got on you?" he wanted to know.

Sam cleared his throat, muttering, "I'm sure they just haven't posted it yet."

"No accessory?" Dean asked as he took Emmy's fingers from her teeth where she was biting her nails again. "Nothing?"

"Shut up," Sam grumbled, furiously typing away on his laptop.

Dean laughed, leaning back in his chair. "You're jealous."

"No, I'm not!" Sam defended a bit too quickly while Emmy started blowing raspberries in boredom.

"Uh-huh. All right," Dean chuckled, wetting his lips. "What do you got on the case there, you innocent, harmless young man, you?"

Sam shut his laptop in irritation, shooting his brother an annoyed look while fixing his sister with a stare that told her to stop making noise. When both his siblings quit working on his nerves, he grabbed some files he put together that morning. "Fitchburg, Wisconsin. Architect Sean Boyden plummeted to his death from the roof of his home, a condominium he designed."

Emmy gasped. "If we're going to Wisconsin, can we go visit Michael?"

"Who the hell is Michael?" Dean demanded, his attention spiked at the mention of the boy's name.

"The boy we saved from the Shtriga," she explained and a glance of recognition passed her brothers' faces. "You promised we'd visit the moment we were passing through."

"I don't see why not," Sam shrugged.

"Cool!" A big smile split her sweet face in two and that didn't bode well with Dean.

"How old is that boy again?" he wondered, a hint of suspicion ringing in his voice.

"Dean." Sam rolled his eyes. "He's a kid. They're both kids."

"You don't wanna know the things I knew when I was twelve," Dean started. "Or the things I did – "

"Please, stop right there," Sam interrupted. "Not every male human being has their mind constantly in the gutter, Dean."

Emmy's blue eyes jumped from one brother to the other, she was lost on the subject. "What are you guys talking about?"

"Just reminding Dean that not everyone thinks with their downstairs brain," Sam told her.

Emmy looked up at her brother, pure innocence shining through her eyes. "There's a downstairs brain? What's the difference between upstairs and downstairs brains? I thought we only had one brain?"

Dean shot his brother a look that literally said _your problem, you fix it_.

Sam cleared his throat, trying to mask his discomfort. He was racking his brain, searching for the best explanation without tainting her naïve ten year old mind. That's when he remembered that he didn't need to talk about the subject, he just had to change the subject.

"Uh, well you see the downstairs brain includes the brain stem and the limbic region, that are responsible for basic functions. Like breathing, blinking, reactions and emotions. While the upstairs brain is complex and helps us develop characteristics like empathy, morality, decision making and planning. Get it?"

Emmy blinked. "Not really."

"So the guy build a high-rise and jumped off the top of it," Dean suddenly said, getting right back to where they had left off, hoping their sister would let it go. "That's classy. When did he call animal control?"

Emmy let out a sigh when her stomach grumbled. She started swinging her feet back and forth, her fingers drumming to a song playing softly through the radio in the diner.

"Two days earlier," Sam replied, wincing when his sister accidently kicked his left shin.

"Sorry," she mumbled sheepishly, holding her feet still.

"Did he actually say Black Dog?" Dean suddenly sounded interested.

"Yeah. A vicious, wild, black dog," Sam confirmed, his eyes scanning the files. "The authorities couldn't find it, no one else saw it; in fact, the authorities are a little confused as to how a wild dog could get past the doorman, take the elevator up and start roaming the halls of the cushiest joint in town." He put down the papers, crossing his arms over his chest. "After that, no more calls, he doesn't show up for work, two days later he takes a swan dive."

Dean went quiet for several seconds as he pondered over his brother's words. "Do you think we're dealing with an actual Black Dog?"

"Well, maybe," Sam answered, throwing a nervous look at Emmy as she leaned her chair back on two legs while throwing her head back and using the table for support.

"What's the lore on it?" Dean questioned.

"It's all pretty vague." Sam passed his brother the pages, letting him read through the investigation. "I mean, there are spectral black dogs all over the world, but some say they're animal spirits, others say death omens. But anyways, whatever they are, they're big, nasty – "

Dean smirked inwardly. "Yeah, I bet they could hump the crap outta your leg, look at that one, huh?" He held up a picture with a shit-eating grin. When Sam didn't react, the corners of his lips slipped. "What? They could."

Sam chose to ignore his brother's perverted mind and pulled Emmy's chair back onto four legs, causing her to shriek in surprise. "Emmy, honey, could you sit still for two minutes? Please."

"But I'm hungry," she whined. "And bored. But mostly hungry."

"Here take my laptop," Sam offered, pushing his computer towards her. "Play some games or something."

"Sammy, I don't wanna play, I wanna eat. Like right now," she told him firmly, seriousness dripping from her voice. "Or else I'll die."

Sam snorted in amusement. "Believe me, you're not gonna die. In fact, it is proven that a human can go months without food because our system contains enough – "

"Can it, Wikipedia," Dean cut him off abruptly. "She's right, if no one's putting food in front of me soon I think I'll die of starvation, too."

"You two just ate half an hour ago," Sam stated incredulously.

"We didn't eat, Sammy, we munched on sweets," Emmy corrected him smartly. "Learn the difference."

"Yeah, Sam. Learn the difference," Dean backed her up, shooting him a cheeky smirk.

Sam pointed an accusing finger at his brother. "I hold you responsible for turning her into … you. Stop corrupting her."

Emmy scrunched up her freckled nose in confusion. "What's corrupting?"

Dean brought her chair closer to his, wrapping his heavy arm around her shoulders, trapping her against his side. "It means you're my favorite girl in the whole wide world and nobody can take you away from me."

"I prefer the term brainwash," Sam mumbled under his breath.

"Ugh, Dean." Emmy started wriggling in his hold when he squeezed her cheeks together with his hand. "Stowp it!"

"Isn't she the cutest, Sam?"

Sam shook his head at his brother's childish antics, his lips twitching in a smile.

"Dean – pweople awe lookin'!" Emmy complained around her brother's hand as she tried to pry his fingers from her cheeks but in vain.

 **SPN**

" _Pink Ranger, what's your twenty? Over and out._ " Michael's static voice sounded through Emmy's Walkie Talkie.

She rounded a corner, pressing her back against the wall of the motel's hallway. "Michael, I'm the Purple Ranger, not the pink one. And what does that even mean?"

Michael sighed through his device and Emmy could imagine him shaking his head. " _It means where are you? And you forgot to say 'over and out'. Over and out_."

"I'm on second floor, left hall from the stairs," she answered in a hushed tone. "Over and out," she quickly added.

" _I'm on third. I just spotted our target, she left room 304, she's headed to the elevators. Over and out._ "

"I'll follow her," Emmy decided as she headed down the stairs.

" _You forgot to say 'over and out' again_ ," Michael grumbled. " _How long do you think you'll be able to hold her off? Over and out_."

"How long do you need. Over. And. Out," she stressed the words. "You happy now?"

" _No! You're not supposed to say anything else after 'over and out'_ ," he pointed out, irritated. " _And I need ten minutes. Over and out._ "

"Copy that. Over and out."

Emmy walked down the stairs, stepping into the lobby, tucking the Walkie Talkie in the back pocket of her shorts. She caught Michael's blonde head sneaking behind the counter and gave him an OK sign before he disappeared into the backroom. The metal doors to the elevator opened, revealing Miss Morgan, aka Michael's mom, carrying a stack of clean towels.

"Hey, Emmy," she smiled. "You've seen Michael? I need him to bring these to the laundry room."

"Uh, he's outside messing around with his skateboard," Emmy quickly made up on spot.

"Oh, well could you get him for me, please," Miss Morgan asked as she walked over to the backroom.

Emmy jumped in front of the woman, stopping her from getting behind the counter to reach the door. "I'd love to bring these to the laundry room, Miss Morgan."

"That's sweet, hon," she smiled, tucking some stray stands of hair behind Emmy's ear. "But your brothers told me to look after you, not letting you work."

"I don't mind," Emmy said as she reached for the clean towels. She caught Michael slipping out of the door, holding up the key with a winning grin. "Maybe Michael can show me where the laundry room is."

Miss Morgan turned to see her son. "Oh there you are! Didn't I tell you to wear your pads and helmet."

"Uh, what?" Michael was momentarily confused. Emmy, standing behind his mother, mouthed _skateboarding_. His eyes briefly widened in realization. "Oh! Yeah, I forgot … again. Sorry, mom, won't happen again."

"Kids," she muttered to herself with a shake of her head. "Here, bring these to the laundry room. And take Emmy with you," she added, turning to face the young girl, "Keep an eye on him, would you," she whispered.

Emmy giggled, biting her lip when Michael shot her an unamused look.

 **SPN**

"Uh, why are we doing this again?" Emmy wondered out loud as she climbed up the ladder to the attic. She cringed when she tried to push away the cobwebs, coughing when a cloud of dust filled her lungs.

"I wanna show you something," Michael replied as he helped her up. He led her to an old closet standing on the far side of the attic, right next to an old mirror.

Emmy took careful steps, the floorboard creaking under her light blue high-tops. She spotted two windows but they were covered, causing the darkness and lack of fresh air in the attic. Multiple pieces of old furniture, cases and stacks of tattered bedding occupied almost every corner and space. Emmy almost tripped over a rugged cloth and kicked it away with her foot, when two little spiders suddenly emerged from the worn sheet. She yelped, jumping away from the insects. She watched them scuttle away until they disappeared into the darkly lit attic.

"Uh, Emmy?"

"Hmm." She didn't waver her gaze from the spot where the spiders fled.

"Can I have my hand back?"

Emmy snapped her head around, only now noticing how her fingers were gripping something warm. She looked down at their hands and quickly released his. She felt a blush creep up her cheeks, knowing that her freckles would stand out more than usual, luckily it was too dark for him to notice, at least that's what she had hoped.

"Sorry," she mumbled, avoiding his eyes, not noticing the small smile creeping up Michael's lips. Emmy focused on the heavy, wooden closet. "So are you gonna explain why your mother can't know about the key to this closet? What are you hiding in there, Narnia?"

Michael snorted. "I wish." He turned the key to the right until the doors clicked open. "You're the only one who knows about this. I've never shown my mother, not even my friends."

Emmy frowned. "Why?"

"Because they'll think I lost my frikkin' mind."

"Why would they think –" she suddenly stopped midsentence, her lips unable to form any word, her eyes widening like saucers as she took in the sight in front of her.

Numerous articles and ripped pages were put up where the shelves supposed to be. Some words were highlighted, instantly catching her attention. _Black magic, deities, alpha, monster, bloodsuckers, iron, devil, the undead, God, hell, …_ Every picture was an image of some supernatural creature, reminding her of those books her family used.

"W-what's all of this?" she stammered, never taking her eyes off the sharp teeth, wings, blood, claws and every other gruesome depiction on the pictures.

"After you guys left, I spent months looking up stuff about the things hiding under our beds. I went to the library and did research on every monster that existed. I read hundreds of strange articles, trying to link them to some unhuman creature – "

"Why?" Emmy suddenly asked. "Why would you wanna know about this?" She couldn't wrap her mind around the fact that someone would willingly indulge himself in stuff you're supposed to avoid, run away from.

"Because I wanted to understand. I wanted to know what hurt all these kids. I wanted to find out how I ended up in that hospital," he tried to explain. "I needed to understand what I saw, Emmy."

"But you knew about the Shtriga," she retorted. "Why didn't you leave it at that?"

"Because I couldn't," he stressed. "Emmy, those monsters live among us, they could be everywhere, and I'd like to know what they are, what they want."

Emmy swallowed hard, her eyes flicking between the pictures of things that belong in a horror movie. "What are you planning to do with this?"

Michael followed her gaze and shrugged. "I don't know. It's not like I wanna go after 'em if that's what you're thinking. I admire what your brothers do but I don't think I'm ready to behead a vampire yet. I'm still busy training my muscles," he joked, showing off the beginnings of developed bulges in his arms.

Emmy, not impressed, narrowed her eyes in disbelief. "You think this is funny?"

Michael's smile dropped as he ran a nervous hand through his hair.

"I think you should stop with this hobby of yours."

"What? Why?" Michael demanded, confused. "I'm not doing anything wrong. I'm just studying those creatures, not hunting them."

"You don't get it Michael," Emmy argued, holding his gaze, "You're playing with fire and if you don't stop, not only will you get burned but you'll get hurt in the most cruel ways your mind can't even put into words. I know you're thinking that what you're doing is harmless but if you continue, it can turn into an obsession and before you know it … you're dead."

The boy went quiet as he studied her face, searching for the meaning behind her words. "Don't you think you're exaggerating a little?"

"No." Emmy clenched her teeth, her eyes brimming with unshed tears. "That's exactly what happened to my family."

Michael opened his mouth but closed it after no words came out. He knew about her father, the tragedies she had to go through. "I-I'm sorry."

"Don't be," she said with a tight voice. "It's already too late for me, Michael … but not for you. You're safe, you don't have evil lurking around every corner waiting to get their claws on you. You don't have to live with the constant fear of losing your family every second of the day. You don't have millions of unanswered questions and secrets clogging up your mind. You have a mother that loves you to no end, you have friends that would do anything for you, I'd give anything to have a normal, boring life. Don't risk all of that just because you're too curious. Believe me, some things are better left unknown."

 **SPN**

"I'm telling you, yarrow flowers in the middle of all that weed, that's our kind of weird," Dean said from where he leaned against the small kitchen counter, nursing a beer in his hand.

"What's wrong with yarrow flowers?" Emmy asked, playing with her Tomy Waterful Ring Toss, her tongue poking out in concentration.

"They're used for certain rituals," Dean replied, reaching forward, trying to mess up her game.

"Summoning rituals to be more precise," Sam commented.

"Dean, stop it!" Emmy changed seats and moved to sit next to Sam where her annoying brother couldn't reach her.

Dean took a draw from his beer, his lips smirking around the bottle. "So, two people become sudden successes about ten years ago. Right around the time they were hanging out there at Lloyd's."

"Where there just happens to be a crossroads," Sam added as he took out the rusted box they dug up. "I guess we'll find out if this _is_ our kinda weird."

Emmy momentarily stopped trying to toss the rings floating in the water and watched as her brother opened the box. It contained several small bones, dirt, two small stoppered jars and an old picture of a black man. Emmy's hand lifted to touch the objects when Sam lightly slapped her hand away.

"I'd be willing to bet that's graveyard dirt. And a black cat bone," Sam said.

Dean walked over to his siblings, leaning over their shoulders. "That's serious spellwork. I mean, that's Deep South Hoodoo stuff."

"Used to summon a demon," Sam muttered, his mind already somewhere else.

"Not just summon one," Dean corrected. "Crossroads are where pacts are made. These people are actually making deals with the damn thing." He rolled his eyes. "You know, 'cause that always ends good."

"So, they're not seeing Black Dogs?" Emmy wondered.

"Oh, they're seeing dogs, all right. But not Black Dogs, they're seeing Hellhounds," Sam told her. "Demonic pit bulls."

Emmy shuddered at the thought of a bloodthirsty, monstrous, sharp-teethed black dog. She wasn't a dog person per se, if she had to be honest, Rumsfeld was the only dog she liked. Thinking of the Rottweiler suddenly made her realize how much she missed him and Bobby.

"Whoever this demon is, it's back and it's collecting. And that doctor lady? Wherever she's running? She ain't running fast enough." Dean finished his beer in one gulp, a playful grin playing at his lips. Without Emmy noticing, he abruptly snatched her classic handheld water toy and shook it to mess up the rings.

His sister gasped. "You meany!"

"Really, Dean?" was Sam's only comment.

"I just couldn't help it." Dean bit his bottom lip, his shoulders bouncing with silent laughter. But his amusement didn't last long when he suddenly doubled over in pain, holding his stomach.

This time it was Sam who couldn't hold in his laughter. "Classic move, Emmy," he praised, patting her back.

"Seriously, where'd she learn to hit like that?" Dean wheezed.

 **SPN**

The next morning, Emmy jumped on one of the beds, trying to reach the funny stain on the ceiling when someone knocked on their door. She jumped of the bed, yelling, "That's Michael!" and ran to the door when a pair of muscular arms lifted her from the floor before she could reach the door. Sam's arm was wrapped around her waist, holding her like a basketball. He pressed her against his side, causing her to dangle, her ponytail barely touching the carpet.

"You know better than to answer the door without checking first," Sam reprimanded her. His hand reached around his back to check the gun safely tucked in his waistband. He peeked through the peephole and his guarded position visible relaxed.

"Told you it was him," Emmy pointed out from where she tried to pull herself up with the use of his leg.

Sam refrained from rolling his eyes and opened the door, revealing the twelve year old.

"Hey Sam!" Michael greeted. His eyes fell to Emmy and he slightly tilted his head to the side. "Hi to you, too."

"Hey." Emmy waved with a sheepish smile. "You can let me go now, Sammy."

"Come in," Sam invited the boy in while putting his sister back on her feet. "Dean and I were just about to leave."

As if on cue, the oldest Winchester emerged from the bathroom, freshly showered and dressed in clean clothes. He threw Michael a quick _hey_ as he put his shoes on.

"You sure you wanna stay here?" Sam asked Emmy, grabbing his jacket and bag.

"Yeah, Michael said he's gonna show me around. Plus his mom said she was gonna make pie and I could help," Emmy grinned.

"Alright, well you two don't do anything stupid." Sam pointed at them with a warning finger.

Both Emmy and Michael nodded. "Got it."

Sam grabbed Emmy's chin, pulling her face upward so he could kiss her forehead. "Call us if you need us."

"I got my phone right here." She patted her pocket, smiling at her brother as he left the room.

Dean stepped in front of the two, watching them closely with his arms crossed over his chest, making him appear bigger, which the two kids thought was exactly the purpose. "I trust you two, no funny business."

"Funny business?" Michael repeated.

Dean narrowed his eyes. "You know what I'm talking about."

Michael didn't blink. "Not really."

"Me neither," Emmy spoke up.

Dean scoffed, a look of suspicion reflected in his green eyes as they flickered between his baby sister and the boy. "Just don't do anything I would do."

"Why are you looking at me?" Michael questioned.

Dean shot him a look that said _Really?_ "I don't know what game you're playing, kid, but stop pretending."

"Again, I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Me neither," Emmy repeated.

"Unbelievable," Dean muttered under his breath as he ran a hand down his mouth. "C'mere for a second, sweetheart."

While Dean turned around, both Emmy and Michael could barely hold their smiles but they quickly composed themselves. Emmy went to stand in front of her brother who put both his hands on either side of her face.

"Listen to me closely, whatever he asks, the answer is NO. Capiche?"

Emmy swore she almost lost it right there and then but managed to stop from bursting into a fit of giggles. "I capiche," she nodded.

Dean sighed, releasing her face. "Okay then," he sighed, throwing a doubtful glance at Michael who pretended to find the chandelier the most interesting thing he had ever seen. "Gimme a kiss." Emmy stood on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek. Dean walked over the door, giving the two one last look. "I'm leaving now," he announced as he closed the door, only to open it five seconds later, finding his sister and the boy still sitting on their spot, not having moved an inch. "Leave me some of that pie."

The two blondes waited until the door shut and the familiar rumble of the Impala roared, before throwing themselves onto the beds, laughing their hearts out.

"Oh god! You were right, he is so easy to mess around with," Michael laughed, his eyes glistening with tears.

"I know right," Emmy chuckled.

 **SPN**

With Michael on his skateboard and Emmy next to him on her roller-skates, the two rolled around the skatepark. Most kids were at school and since both Michael and Emmy were homeschooled, they almost had the entire park to themselves. They used the multiple ramps and pipes, and even though Michael would never admit it, he was kinda impressed with how quick she learned. He did have a couple of heart attacks seeing her do flips and jumps. He was pretty sure that if something happened to her, even a tiny scratch, her brothers would kill him.

An hour later, the two decided to take a break, sitting on top of one of the mounds in the park. Emmy let the grass tickle her bare toes as she sipped on her slushie.

"So what exactly are your brothers doing right now?"

"Checking out some dude who sold his soul."

"You mean to the devil?"

"No to Jesus," she deadpanned. "Of course to the devil – or demons or whatever they are."

Michael crossed his feet at the ankles, pulling up his knees to rest his elbows on it. "Why would he sell his soul?"

Emmy shrugged. "For success, money, fame, you name it. Doesn't seem worth it to me if you know that every deal comes with a price."

"Death," Michael nodded slowly with a far-looking gaze. "So what are your brothers gonna do about it?"

"They're gonna try to stop the Hellhounds," she answered as she watched the people walk beneath them in the park.

Michael's eyes bulged. "You mean _the Hellhounds."_

"Yup," Emmy popped the 'p' with her lips.

"How?" Michael wanted to know.

"I don't know, but they'll find a way. They always do." Emmy felt a tinge of pride at the thought of her brothers going at great lengths to save people.

"I still can't believe how some people would actually sell their soul for something so … useless and totally worthless especially if it means you only get some years to enjoy it." Michael shook his head at the idea of people being so reckless and hopeless. "I understand that desperate times call for desperate measures but still …"

Emmy stopped sucking from her slushie when something came to her mind. "Some people do it to save the people they love. They'd rather give up their own soul if it means the other gets to live."

 _Just like my Daddy did._

"Isn't it selfish though?" Michael squinted his eyes in thought. "I mean what if the other person doesn't want to live? What if they want to die but don't because someone else took their place? Isn't it cruel that they have to live with the loss and guilt?"

Swallowing hard, Emmy tried to talk past the growing lump in her throat. "I-I guess." She cleared her throat, masking her trembling voice. "But what if … what if it's meant to be. What if it's what God wanted."

Michael turned to her, looking at her for the first time since they started talking. He cocked a single eyebrow. " _God_? You believe in God?"

Emmy couldn't see what the problem was about that. "Yeah, so?"

The boy snorted. "You just don't strike me as a religious person that's all."

Now it was Emmy's turn to raise her eyebrows. "And what's that even supposed to mean?"

"Well for one, your family hunt monsters." When that didn't seem to answer her question, he continued, "After all the shit that happened to you guys, I mean why even believe there is a God who still wants the best for you?"

"Is that how you think about God?"

"Yeah," he admitted, looking down at his shoes. "My Dad left when I was three, I haven't heard from him ever since. My mom works her ass off to support us two. My grandparents abandoned their own daughter cuz they never approved of my father, they never even had the audacity to check on my mother. Then there's my cousin, my best friend, who I lost to cancer two years ago. And last year I lost my uncle in a car accident." Michael looked up to meet her eyes, "So if there is a God, he must hate my guts."

Looking into his eyes, seeing the buried pain, the loss, grief and sorrow, Emmy felt like staring into her own reflection. She felt this unexplainable connection, like they were in the same boat. She didn't feel compassion or sorry for Michael, she felt admiration and hope. She respected the way he still held his head high after all these setbacks. He learned to go on and live day by day and she could only learn from that.

"He doesn't hate your guts, He's testing you."

"By letting bad things happen to me?" he scoffed.

"It's the only way for you to appreciate the good," Emmy smiled sadly. "Trust me, I know."

With the sunlight shining on her, radiating this soft hue around her, Michael felt like she was glowing. He had no idea how angels supposed to look, but if he had to imagine something, he'd say they'd look like Emmy. There was something about her he couldn't put his finger on it. She was like a bundle of light floating through the dark, something beautiful wandering in this world full of filth and danger. She didn't belong down here, but up there.

The smooth lines on her forehead suddenly wrinkled. Michael looked down at her eyes but she wasn't looking at him. He could detect alarm, worry and uneasiness, urging him to follow her gaze. When he turned around he could only see a bunch of people walking in the park. Mothers with their strollers, older kids with their skateboards, couples on their bicycles, nothing out of the ordinary. That's until he spotted a man in his late forties standing next to a bench with his hands tucked in the pockets of his jacket. Michael didn't recognize the man but still got strange vibes from him. He was wearing a hat, the shadow of it covered the top half of his face, leaving only his mouth and dimpled chin visible.

"We need to go," Emmy urged, getting to her feet, her slushie tumbling over in the grass.

Michael felt her hand on his arm, pulling him up but he never took his eyes from the man. "What, why? Who is he?"

"I- I don't know. We just have to leave _now,_ " she pressed with a shaky voice.

Michael nearly tripped over his own feet when she dragged him away but not before they caught the man smiling at them with a wave. The kids froze, the smile sent shivers down their spine and in a blink of an eye the man suddenly disappeared leaving them nailed to the ground.

 **SPN**

Back at their motel room, Emmy peeked through the curtains of the window. She only had view on the parking lot and a part of the highway. A blue truck pulled up, it's headlights almost blinding her until the engine was turned off. Emmy's breath caught in her throat when a man wearing a hat got out of the car. He was standing with his back facing her and Emmy swore her heart was going to burst. Her hand gripped the curtain until her fingers turned white. She watched as the man slowly turned around, catching her eye. The man appeared to be a woman and Emmy had trouble catching her breath. The lady adjusted her hat, shooting her a charming smile before starting for the motel.

Emmy let out a breath of relief when it wasn't who she thought it was. She still wasn't sure if the man at the skatepark was the same as the one who had done something to her necklace. But that smile, that cleft chin, those teeth … it had to be him and he was following her, there was no other explanation, it couldn't be a coincidence.

"What are you looking at?"

Emmy nearly jumped out of her skin, holding the curtain for support. Sam couldn't help but chuckle until he noticed her expression.

"What's wrong?"

"N-nothing." She brushed past him but her brother stopped her with a hand on her arm.

Sam pushed her hair from her face, studying her. "Why do you look like you've seen a ghost?"

Dean looked up from where he was sitting on one of the beds, assembling the weapons.

"You just startled me that's all." Emmy bit her lip, avoiding her brother's gaze knowing he'd see right through the lie.

Sam and Dean exchanged a concerned look and Emmy knew she should drop her fake façade.

"You been staring through that window for more than an hour now, what's so interesting out there?" Dean asked.

Emmy shrugged, not trusting her voice to form another lie but she knew her brothers already caught on, they just wanted to hear it from her.

Sam took a seat on one of the chairs, pulling her on his lap. "Honey," he waited until she looked up at him before continuing, "You know you can't lie to us. Just tell us what's gotten you all jumpy."

Emmy fiddled with his fingers on her waist, picking at his nails. She mumbled something, barely understandable.

"We didn't quite catch that, sweetheart," Dean said as he came closer.

Letting out a long sigh, Emmy repeated the words, "I said … I saw him again."

Sam adjusted her in his lap so he could see her face better. "You mean the same man from Nebraska?"

Emmy nodded almost imperceptibly.

"Son of a bitch," Dean cursed, rubbing his hand over his mouth. "Where did you see him?"

"At the skatepark," she answered meekly. "I'm not sure if it was him, I couldn't see his eyes but he, he _smiled_ and waved at me."

"You sure he was looking at you?" Sam asked.

"Michael saw him too. And then he just disappeared out of the blue."

"Oh, it's him alright." Dean started pacing the room. "We have to get out of here."

"Dean," Sam protested. "We're in the middle of a case. We can't just drop this and leave these people to fend for themselves."

"Oh I'm sorry Sam, if I have to choose between their lives or my baby sister's, my choice is pretty much made," he snapped.

"Nobody's gonna die, Dean. Let's just finish this first and the second we're done we haul our asses out of here," Sam suggested.

Emmy wrapped her arm around her brother's neck, subconsciously seeking physical comfort and safety. Sam's arms tightened around her as they both waited for Dean to make his decision. Dean ran both hands through his hair, messing it up, before letting out a long breath.

He pointed a finger at Sam. "We're leaving this town before sun comes up."

Sam nodded. "We better get cracking then."

 **SPN**

Emmy preferred lying in bed watching cartoons with some pizza instead of standing on the porch of some man who made a deal in the middle of the night. But it was that or waiting in the motel … alone … while this creepy dude was still around. She opted staying in the Impala while her brothers handled the case but Sam and especially Dean didn't like any idea where she wasn't right next to them.

After several seconds the door got answered by a middle aged man. "Yes?" he asked, curious eyes assessing the unusual sight of two grown men joined by a little girl.

Sam was the first to speak. "Evan Hudson?"

Before the man could reply, Dean went straight to the point. He was pressed and wanted this job done asap. "You ever been to a bar called Lloyd's? Would have been about ten years ago."

Evan's eyes grew, revealing the horror and shock washing over him. In the blink of an eye the door was slammed and latched.

Dean lifted his arms before letting them fall. "Come on, we're not demons!"

Sam turned to his brother. "Any other bright ideas?"

Emmy lifted a questioning eyebrow when Dean pushed her closer to Sam. He took a step back, set himself, then kicked the door down in one go. Emmy hummed, impressed. She felt Sam's hands on her shoulders guiding her inside while Dean took the lead. The siblings arrived in the living room just in time to see Evan hiding in a backroom.

Dean prepared to kick another door down when a hand stopped him. Sam looked at him pointedly and turned the handle, effectively opening the door. Emmy was about to enter into the quiet room when Sam pulled her back, his cast heavy on her shoulder, and letting Dean get in first. She rolled her eyes, earning a light ear flick from Sam.

"Evan?" Dean called.

Emmy looked around, spotting a desk and multiple bookshelves. She guessed they were in a study. She walked around as far as her brother's grip on her permitted. She noticed that one of the shelves stood inches from the wall, leaving a gap between the wall and wooden rack. Emmy was about to peek behind it when Evan suddenly jumped out from behind it.

"Holy shit!" she panted, holding her heart, not noticing the disapproving looks she got from her brothers at her choice of words .

"Please! Don't hurt me," Evan begged, putting his hands up in surrender.

"We're not going to hurt you, all right?" Sam placated. "We're here to help you."

"We know all about the genius deal you made."

Evan looked at Dean like he just sprouted another head. "W-what? H-how?" he stuttered, the color suddenly draining from his face.

"Doesn't matter. All that matters is, we're trying to stop it," Sam approached him calmly.

Evan took a cautious step back. "How do I know you're not lying?"

"Well, you don't," Dean answered bluntly, "but you're kinda running low on options there, buddy-boy."

Evan gulped, his hands shaking as he started pacing. "Can you stop it?"

"Don't know." Sam exchanged a quick glance with his brother. "We'll try."

"I don't want to die."

Emmy caught Evan's eyes watering, she could see his life crumble in his eyes. She sympathized with the man, she didn't know what deal he made, for what or who but she could see the fear. It surprised her that she couldn't detect any guilt or repentance. She was sure that if he had the chance to make the deal again, he would do it in a heartbeat. It left her wondering what kinda deal he made …

"Of course you don't, not now."

Emmy looked up at Dean, appalled by his heartless comment. Even Sam discretely warned his brother to stop but Dean seemed to be blind and deaf to his siblings' admonitions.

"What'd you ask for anyway, Evan? Huh? Never need Viagra? Bowl a perfect game? What?" he demanded, his stance confronting and daring.

Evan, visibly taken aback by the confrontation, let his gaze fall downcast. He pinched his eyes close as if it pained him to say the words. A single tear rolled down his cheek as he choked out, "My wife."

Emmy wished she could punch her brother as she watched him laugh darkly.

"Right. Gettin' the girl. Well, that's worth a trip to hell for."

"Dean, stop," Sam forced through gritted teeth.

"No," Evan shook his head, clearing his throat, trying to get a hold on his emotions. "He's right, I made the deal. Nobody twisted my arm, that ... woman, or whatever she was, at the bar? She said I could have anything I wanted. I thought she was nuts at first, but ... I don't know how to— I was desperate."

"Desperate?" Sam repeated.

"Julie was dying."

And that's when it made it sense to Emmy. She looked up at Dean, glad to see that realization had hit him hard, too.

"You did it to save her?"

Evan nodded at Dean. "She had cancer, they'd stopped treatment, they were moving her into hospice, they kept saying ... a matter of days. So yeah, I made the deal. And I'd do it again. I'd have died for her on the spot."

Dean let out a breath as he pinched the bridge of his nose. He had to let this revelation sink in. "Did you ever think about her in all this?"

Evan, not sure where Dean was going with this, defended himself. "I did this for her."

"You sure about that?" Dean advanced on him, his green eyes staring into Evan's opposingly. "I think you did it for yourself. So you wouldn't have to live without her. But guess what? She's going to have to live without you now. But what if she knew how much it cost? What if she knew it cost your soul? How do you think she'd feel?"

Emmy was momentarily sucked into her brother's words. For a moment she questioned whether he was talking about Evan and his wife or he and their _Dad_. It would make sense why Dean was being so harsh and insensitive. He wasn't mad at Evan, he was mad at their father. John made the deal without thinking of the consequences, now Dean had to live with the constant thought of his father rotting away in hell. John saved his life, but was it worth it when Dean had to live it with anguish and guilt? His father had no right to make that deal, he made a mistake and so did Evan because regardless of what he thought, he didn't save his wife, he failed her.

"Okay, that's enough." Sam put a hand on his brother's chest, shoving him back through the door. He grabbed Emmy's hand, telling Evan to sit tight until they figured it out.

Dean leaned against the wall of the hallway, running his hands through his hair.

"You all right?" Emmy couldn't help but ask. He wasn't, she knew that much, but her brother would never admit that.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be? Hey, I got an idea."

Emmy tried to ignore the fact that he lied, trying to avoid the subject.

Dean pulled out the Goofer dust, handing it over to Sam. "You throw George's hoodoo at that Hellhound, keep it away from Evan as long as you can. I'm gonna go to the crossroads and summon the demon."

"Summon?" Sam sputtered. "Are you nuts?"

"Maybe a little." He shrugged casually. "But I can trap it. I can exorcise it, and I can buy us time to figure out something more permanent."

"Yeah, but how much time?"

"I don't know, a while," Dean said. "I mean, it's not easy for those suckers to claw their way back from hell and into the sunshine."

Sam shook his head. "No. No way."

Emmy lifted her hand. "I'm not a fan either."

"You guys are not allowed to say no, not unless you've got a better idea," Dean implied.

"Dean, you can forget it, all right? We're not letting you summon that demon," Sam argued.

"Why not?" Dean asked.

Sam licked his lips, irritated. "Because I don't like where your head is at right now, that's why not."

"What are you talking about?"

"You know damn well what we're talking about," Emmy confronted.

Dean pointed a warning finger at her. "You watch your mouth, young lady. That's the second cuss word I caught you saying in the span of five minutes. Third time is a mouthwash."

Emmy locked her lips with an imaginary key before throwing it away.

Sam sighed. "You know, you've been on edge ever since we found that crossroads, Dean, and I think I know why."

Dean rolled his eyes. "We don't have time for this."

Sam watched as he brushed past him but he knew how to stop his brother dead in his tracks. "Dad."

The single word was like a cold shower washing over Dean. He froze, his back still facing his siblings. He was glad they couldn't see his face, his expression would have given away how they had once again found a way to break the wall he kept up. But it didn't matter anyway, his brother and sister were the only ones who could read him like the back of their hands. His tense shoulders, his balled fists and his clenched jaw already betrayed what he felt inside.

"You think maybe Dad made one of these deals, huh?" Sam continued. "Hell. We've been thinking it. I'm sure you've been thinking it too."

Dean took a minute to collect himself. He had to keep his game face on, he couldn't let them see how he was suffering under that thick skin of his.

"It fits, doesn't it?" he said quietly as he slowly turned around. "I'm alive, Dad's dead. The yellow-eyed demon was involved. What if he did? What if he struck a deal? My life for his soul?"

Dean hated the look of compassion he got from Emmy and Sam. They weren't supposed to sympathize, they were supposed to hate him like he hated himself. He was the one that took their father away. Sam was just reconciling with the man, things were looking up between them, they made peace and Dean took that away. Then there was Emmy, the apple of her father's eye. She was struck by tragedy one too many times. Not only did she had to live without a mother, Dean now blamed himself for taking away the only parent she had left. He felt responsible for making her an orphan. She deserved the world on a silver platter and he couldn't even protect her from a simple cut.

Evan's frantic voice came from his study, alerting the Winchesters.

Dean swallowed hard, blinking repeatedly to dry his eyes. "Just keep him alive, okay?"

"Dean..." Sam started.

Emmy couldn't hold it in anymore and flew in her brother's arms, holding him tightly. She buried her face in his hard stomach, taking in his familiar scent. Dean wanted to release himself from her hold, he didn't think he deserved her love. No one did. But he couldn't ignore the effect she had on him, her touch was like a drug. It calmed him, like pure bliss and rapture, she _healed_ him. He eventually hugged her small form back, feeling her warmth radiating from her. It was the only relief Dean allowed himself.

 **SPN**

Emmy helped Sam sprinkle the dust in a line before the windows. She threw a glance at Evan who stood in the middle of the room, looking like he had no idea what to with himself. He was shivering as he hugged himself but Emmy knew he was trying to hold himself together. She would panic, too, knowing Hellhounds were out to get her, wanting to shred you her pieces.

"What is that stuff?" Evan asked as Sam used the dust to make a circle around him.

"Goofer dust," Emmy answered, climbing off the windowsill.

Evan went quiet for a second, waiting for her to get to the punch line. When Emmy didn't react, he scoffed in disbelief. "You serious?"

"Yeah, afraid so." Sam stood back up. "Look. Believe me, don't believe me, whatever you want. Just whatever you do, stay inside the circle, all right?"

Evan looked between the two siblings. He was past the thought of this being a stupid joke. Whoever those Winchesters were, they weren't playing, they were genuinely helping him. He momentarily asked himself if there were still good people around, but seeing these strangers risking their lives, he had his answer.

Minutes passed when Evan whirled around at an unheard sound. He broke out in a cold sweat, his breaths shallow and short.

Sam picked up on the alarm written all over Evan's face. "What?"

"You hear that?" he panted, looking around frantically.

Sam took a guarded stance, inching closer to his little sister. "No, where?"

"Right outside the door!" Evan pointed at the door as it began to rattle violently.

Emmy jumped, hiding behind her brother. Sam's arm went all the way around her, pressing her against his back. He looked around the study, looking for a hiding place when his eyes fell upon the built-in closet. He grabbed Emmy, pulling her with him as he started for the closet. He opened it, effortlessly hoisting some boxes and books like they weight nothing.

Emmy didn't pay attention to her brother, she was too busy watching the hinges of the doors slowly give away. She couldn't imagine what those Hellhounds would look like and what they would do. She tried not to think of animals attacking Evan, it was too gruesome and it honestly scared her to death. A hand on her arm, pulling at her, brought her out of her reveries.

"What are you doing?" she questioned when Sam pushed her into the empty closet.

Sam's large hands cupped her cheeks, his puff of air feeling warm against her face. "I want you to stay in here until this is over – "

Emmy didn't let her brother finish his sentence and protested. "What? No! What if something happens to you!"

"Nothing's gonna happen to me, honey," he reassured her, glancing over his shoulders to check if the door was still closed.

Emmy's small hands gripped the lapel of his jacket. "Then let me stay with you."

"It's too dangerous, Emmy, especially with your necklace being defective, who knows what that will cause. I don't wanna take any chances." Before Emmy could open her mouth, he continued, "Emmy please, just listen to me. I don't want anything to happen to you. I'm just trynna protect you."

Emmy looked between her brother, Evan and the rattling door, contemplating her decision. "Stay with me. You said Evan will be okay – "

"Uh, Sam?" Evan called out with a trembling voice.

"Just don't move, all right? Stay where you are," Sam told him before getting back to his sister. "Honey, I can't let him fend for himself, you know that." The door cracked, alerting them all. "Please just get in, Emmy. We don't have time."

"No! No, no, no! Sammy, don't!" Emmy tried to fend off her brother but her actions were fruitless. The closet clicked shut and no matter how hard she banged her fists or kicked with her feet, the door remained closed. She let out a sob in frustration.

How could he do this to her! Her brothers always did to her! She was sick of them always acting to _protect_ her. To hell with all that protecting crap. She understood that they cared about her, but what about them? She cared about her brothers, too. She wanted them to be safe, too, but apparently that didn't matter. It was always about her, they were being so selfish and ignorant. How could they not comprehend that they couldn't just lock her up (literally), keep her out of harm's way without her worrying her ass off about them?

"Sammy, open this door right now!" she demanded as she threw herself against the door. She was sure her arm was going to bruise but she didn't care, not when her brother was out there getting face to face with freaking Hellhounds.

"Emmy, stop it!" Sam shouted from where he stood with Evan in the circle. He was glad she had stopped, but he could still hear her sobs of frustration and he would be lying if he said it didn't tug at his heartstrings. But he reminded himself that he was doing this for her own good.

"Do you still hear it?" He asked Evan once he noticed the rattling had stopped.

Evan swallowed hard, a drop of sweat trailing down his temple. "N-no. Is it over?"

A rumbling sound came from a grating by the wall. They both whirled to stare at it. Cracks started to appear in the wall, causing them to step back. Sam had his arms spread in an attempt to shield Evan. The wall suddenly burst outward, kicking a cloud of dust into the room.

Evan jumped out of the circle in pure panic, the barking sending fear into him. "It's here!"

Sam grabbed Evan, forcefully pulling him back. "No! Back inside the circle!"

The Winchester's eyes widened as he noticed deep claw marks gouged into the floor in a path towards their circle. He held his breath when they stopped right before the edge. At least the Goofer Dust worked, but that didn't still the anxiety growing inside of him.

"Sammy!" Emmy called out from behind the locked door.

Sam didn't answer, not wanting to draw more attention but that didn't help when his sister kept calling his name, sounding more upset.

"Emmy, just stay there, honey. Please, just don't move," he practically begged.

"Sammy, tell me what's happening!" she demanded with a bang.

Sam could see the claws had stopped gouging into the floor, instead they tapped into the other direction. The closet's direction … where Emmy was still banging the door. Sam acted without thinking and whistled, trying to draw the hellhounds' attention back to him and Evan.

"What the hell are you doing?" Evan hissed.

Sam didn't bother answering him, like he was going to let those hellhounds anywhere near his baby sister. He'd rather be mauled to death than let those demon dogs even take a whiff of Emmy.

The two backed away slowly as the claw marks started back into their direction. Sam cursed when wind started to eat away at their protective circle.

"Circle's broken. Come on!" Sam pulled Evan out of the room and down the hall. With invisible Hellhounds on their heels, the two ran into a storeroom and Sam quickly slammed the door behind them, jumping back when the hungry dogs collided against it. When the door started to crack and give away, he braced himself against it, trying to keep out the Hellhounds who were pounding it down.

 **SPN**

"Sammy? Answer me dammit!"

Emmy couldn't stand the silence. She called after her brother but got no reply. That wasn't a good sign, why wouldn't he answer? Concern started eating at her, her mind thinking of the worst scenario's. Sam lying on the ground, his stomach ripped open, blood pooling beneath him, claws digging into his skin – the thought sent a sudden jolt of strength into her as she threw herself against the door. She stared at the open door in awe. Who knew she had the power in her to tear it down? She shook her head trying to rid of the astonishment, she had to go look for her brother.

"Sammy?" she called again, cautiously leaving the study. She looked down, noticing the trail of engraved claw marks. She swallowed hard, deciding to follow the path.

Something in her told her to turn around and get back, but the need to help her brother was too strong. The desperation of wanting to see Sam gnawed at her, controlling her movements. She slowly walked, making sure to look over her shoulders, her steps as light as a feather, barely audible. The sound of a rattling door caught her attention, leading her to the end of the hallway.

Emmy felt her breathing quicken, her heart was about to burst from her chest. She couldn't see the Hellhounds but her imagination got that covered. In her mind she saw vicious, bloody, black dogs with fangs and claws as sharp as knives. Their eyes pitch black, reflecting their dark, merciless souls. Seeing the door slowly buckle under their pounding, knowing that her brother and Evan were right behind it, merely inches away from the Hellhounds, caused her to stop thinking. Instead she just acted.

"Hey!" she shouted.

The pounding stopped and Emmy imagined the dogs turning around, staring at her hungrily with drool trailing down their muzzle. She swore she thought she'd have a heart attack right there and then. She suddenly wondered why she was so stupid to put herself in danger, but that's when she remembered – it was to save her brother and Evan. Sam and Dean risked their lives constantly for hers. She was simply returning the favor.

Emmy was frozen, standing at the end of the hallway with the Hellhounds on the other end. She could practically hear them growling, snarling, impatiently waiting to get a taste of her young flesh. She pinched her eyes close until she saw spots behind her lids, willing herself to block every sound and touch. She focused on her heartbeat, trying to get it back under control which wasn't easy when you had demon dogs coming at you with full force, ready to snap her neck.

Emmy felt like standing there in the dark for eternity, but nothing came. _Am I dead already,_ she wondered. _Is this how death felt like?_ She felt nothing, no pain, not even a sting, absolutely _nothing._ She forced her body to relax, the blood running back into her fingers as she released the death grip she had on the hem of her shirt. Her shoulders slowly lowered, her lips opened slightly to let out a breath after holding it in for what seemed like ages. At last she calmly opened her eyes, blinking several times to adjust to the light.

Her sight was blurry with the tears pooling in front of her eyes. She spotted Evan standing at the doorway with her brother looking utterly shocked. Emmy had no time to let relief wash over her at seeing her brother unharmed and very much alive, when she felt something soft at the tip of her fingers. The feeling was familiar, it reminded her of when she stroked Rumsfeld. Realization hit her hard and Emmy couldn't bring herself to move out of fear.

The hellhounds were right there next to her, _touching_ her.

She felt something wet and smooth against her cheek. A warm snout nuzzled her throat, right against her erratic pulse. A sound of terror escaped her lips while tears rolled down the side of her face. Emmy had thought after everything she had seen over the years that she knew how it felt to be scared, but she was wrong. Nothing compared to how petrified and frightened she was right now.

Sam was torn between grabbing his sister and risking his own life. He couldn't stand the look of pure angst and despair on Emmy's face. He tried to hold her gaze, trying to reassure her but that wouldn't help. He ought to tear her a new one for pulling this stunt. What was she even thinking? He would bet that she wasn't even think.

"S-Samm-my," she stuttered, her voice merely a whisper.

Sam didn't want to draw unwanted attention, he didn't want to set the Hellhounds off. They seemed to have calmed around her. He had no idea why but one glance at her necklace and his question was answered.

"Emmy, honey," he said softly and carefully. A heartbreaking sob escaped her trembling lips. "Emmy, baby, it's okay. Just don't move."

Sam took a step forward but stopped short when an invisible force pushed Emmy back, away from him. He couldn't make out if those Hellhounds were protecting his own sister from him or something else. Either way he didn't like the thought of those murderous dogs keeping him from getting to Emmy.

"Emmy, come to me." Sam reached out both hands. "Take slow steps."

Another sob wracked her body. "I-I can-n't," she cried. She felt the dogs' massive presence around her, enclosing her. A few strands of her hair flew around as their warm breath blew near her.

"Just close your eyes and start walking. Just follow my voice. I'll catch you, I promise."

Emmy had trouble swallowing down her fear. She did as her brother said and closed her eyes. She took deep breaths before slowly releasing it. Her feet felt like they weight thousand pounds, it took everything in her to simply lift her foot and take a step forward.

"That's my girl," Sam encouraged her. "I know you can do it."

Taking another step, she suddenly felt something push her back.

"Sammy?" she wailed, no longer trying to stop the tears from rolling down her cheeks.

Sam didn't know what to do anymore. His sister was literally kept hostage by Hellhounds for god sakes and it was killing him inside. His big brother instincts surfaced, slowly taking control over his actions. He acted on auto pilot and did what he had to do in order to save his sister. He didn't think of the dangers, the risks, the consequences. He didn't care. The only thing he cared about was Emmy and he had to fulfill his role as a brother to protect her.

"Emmy, I'm gonna count to three and you run to me. Got it?"

"W-what? What are you gonna do?" she sniffed, watching as her brother grabbed something that looked like a baseball bat.

"What I have to." Sam clenched his teeth together, his knuckleds turning white around the bat in his hands. "One. Two … Three!"

Emmy ran towards her brother, hearing claws scratching against the wooden floor behind her. She swore that she must've broken every record of sprint with her speed.

Sam braced himself, ready to throw the first punch to the Hellhound that reached him first which was hard seeing that they were invisible. Sam swung with his bat but frowned when it swooshed through the air instead of hitting something solid. Dean must've succeeded at unsealing the deal making the Hellhounds disappear.

Evan who had Emmy safely tucked against his side spoke up for the first time. "I-I think it's gone."

Emmy let her hands hover around her but they didn't bump against anything soft or wet. She heard the bat clatter against the floor and looked up just in time to see Sam's furious face.

"Are you out of your damn mind!"

Before she could respond, he had her wrapped in his arms. Emmy was momentarily confused. One second he was mad and now he was hugging her?

"You could've been dead, you stupid, stupid girl," he muttered against her hair.

His muscular arms were squeezing her to the point she could barely breathe but she didn't have the strength to ease his hold. Not that she wanted to, she didn't care if she couldn't breathe properly, she was in her brother's arms now, she was safe.

Emmy hugged him back, her tears wetting his neck. "I'm sorry," she mumbled.

Sam leaned back a little to cup her chin between his fingers. His own hazel eyes glistened as they went over every inch of her face as if he had to check everything was still untouched. "You ever do that again, I swear I'll lock you up for good. I mean it Emmy, that was the most reckless thing you've ever done. What the hell were you thinking?"

Emmy couldn't look at her brother, she felt so small under his scrutinizing gaze. "I-I just … I wanted to help you."

"I was fine, Emmy. I told you I'd be fine."

This time she did meet his eyes. "No you weren't! Those hellhounds were seconds away from killing you. And you expect me to you just stop and stare? I had to do something," she added softly. "Look me in the eye and say that you wouldn't have done the same thing if the tables were turned."

Sam held her gaze but didn't say anything. She was right but he wouldn't admit it, he just couldn't. How did it happen that his own _ten year old_ sister had to save his ass? When did they let it come so far? Sam had no answer to that. He simply dropped his forehead against Emmy's, closing his eyes, basking in her touch. _She's okay, she's breathing, she's here, she's alive,_ he had to remind himself. He couldn't handle the thought of losing her. This was the second time and it was too close again, too damn close.

"I can't stomach the thought of ever losing you, Emmy. I-I just can't …," he whispered. "Life would have no purpose if you're not there."

 _Right back at ya,_ she thought as she felt his lips press a hard, lingering kiss on her forehead.

 **SPN**

Michael rubbed his eyes with a yawn. His bedhair was sticking out in every direction, giving him a funny look which Emmy found kinda … cute. Not that she would ever tell him that, or anyone for that matter.

"I'm sorry for waking you up," she apologized, standing at the doorway of his bedroom.

The boy glanced at his clock that showed the numbers 03:05. He turned the lights on and sat up in his bed. "It's okay. What's up?"

Emmy shifted on her feet, fiddling with her necklace. "Uh, I just came to say goodbye."

The sleep faded from Michael's eyes as he pushed the covers away with his feet and jumped out of bed. "You're leaving? Now? But it's the middle of the night, can't you guys wait till morning?"

"It's not my decision, Michael. I wanna stay a little longer, believe me …," she sighed apologetically. "But my brothers they, they wanna get to South Dakota by Friday."

Michael didn't fail to notice the weary look on her face, like she just had one hell of a journey. Her blue eyes were also red rimmed and he wasn't sure if it was because of her being tired or something else. Her fingers were restless, constantly pulling at her necklace and he was sure that she didn't even know she was doing it.

"What's the hurry? Is everything alright?"

Emmy found his concern touching and let a small smile appear on her lips. "Don't worry about it, we're okay, we're always okay. We're Winchesters after all."

"Yeah, sure," Michael snorted, not convinced. "Hey, you never told me who that psycho was at the skatepark? Is he stalking you or something?"

Emmy chewed on her lip. "To be honest with you, I don't know either. I just know that something is seriously off with him."

"Is that why you're leaving?"

"Partially," she said quietly.

Michael took a step closer, his hand scratching the nape of his neck. "Listen, I've thought about what you said the other day in the attic. This afternoon I threw away every book, article and picture I have on these monsters."

"Michael, I didn't mean for you to rid of all the hard work you put in – "

He put his hand up, cutting her off. "No, it's okay. I understand. I realize that I've been skating on thin ice. I stopped because I didn't want it to turn into an obsession, I don't want it to consume me. You were right, regardless of all the shit I've been through, there's still something good out there for me to hold onto."

Once again, Emmy found herself admiring his strength and strong will. She could only learn from it. The sudden familiar sound of the Impala's honk got her hurrying up.

"Well, I better get going. Sorry for waking you up." Emmy stood there awkwardly, not really knowing what to do.

Michael noticed her fidgeting which he kinda found amusing. He was used to girls being nervous around him and he never really paid attention to it, nor did he care. But this girl standing in front of him was different, nothing like the other girls he'd met before. Emmy was one of a kind … special. Not that he would ever tell her that, or anyone for that matter.

Michael decided to put her out of her misery and spread his arms, wiggling his eyebrows like the smooth guy he was. Emmy couldn't help but giggle as she hugged him back.

"Goodbye, Michael. Hope to see you soon, again," she smiled.

"Ditto," he reciprocated. He watched as she left before calling her back. "Emmy?"

She turned around last second, looking at him expectantly. "Yeah?"

"I wish all girls were like you. It's been a while since I've had this much fun."

"Ditto," she smirked right back at him.

 **SPN**

 _Dean is pissed_ , was all Emmy could think of when her brother opened the door to the backseat without a single word. He didn't even look at her which said enough about the level of anger he had reached. She flinched as he closed the door before climbing into the front seat. Emmy shared a quick glance with Sam through the rearview mirror and his stare said it all.

She was screwed nine ways to Sunday.

 _So much for wanting to save my own brother._

The ride was so quiet, it was deafening. Emmy felt like suffocating from the tangible tension hanging in the air. She leaned her head against the cold surface of the window, watching the car drive down a dark road. She might be looking calm from the outside but that couldn't be said about how she felt inside. She was conflicted, multiple feelings fought inside of her wanting to get the upper hand.

First there was anger from being treated like she just committed a crime while she only wanted to do something helpful. She understood that her way of helping wasn't the best choice she'd made, but couldn't her brothers see the gesture behind it? She did it out of the need to protect those she loved.

Then there was confusion. Had she been in Sam's position, her brothers wouldn't even think twice about their next move. They would've done the exact same thing she did without question. But why was it wrong when _she_ did it?

A part of her was also hurt. Hurt because she didn't get the recognition she wanted. She literally put her own life in danger for her brother's and she didn't even get a simple thank you. Emmy would bet that only a minority of people would go through fire and water for their own sibling. She felt like her brothers didn't realize how much of an impact it had on her.

She always held her brothers in high regard, she respected the way they always put her first. Since she could remember, she never saw Dean and Sam just as her brothers, they were so much more. They were her best friends, protectors, heroes, the ones that would go through hell and back for her, she practically worshipped them. But the question why they did all of that for her never crossed her mind. Maybe it was because she was used to it, or maybe she never expected differently because that's what family does.

 _Then what did I do wrong?_

"Stop that," came Dean's voice, startling her out of her thoughts.

She was momentarily confused until she tasted something coppery, that's when it dawned on her. Unbeknownst to her, she had been biting the skin around her nails until she drew blood. Emmy wiped her fingers on her pants before tucking them between her legs. As she continued staring through the window, she couldn't ignore the two sets of eyes on her.

"If you want an apology, you're gonna have to wait till hell freezes over cuz you ain't getting any," she commented offhandedly, not taking her eyes from the boring scenery flashing by.

Both brothers eyebrows shot up in complete consternation, they were suddenly rendered speechless.

"And why is that?" Dean wanted to know, his voice still strained as if he was doing his damn best to control his temper.

"Cuz I saved Sammy's ass, that's why."

"Hey! Watch your damn language!" Dean warned.

Emmy turned to face him with a daring look. "Ass. Ass. _Ass_."

Sam's eyes widened in shock. Did he just hear that correctly? He risked to throw a glance at his brother and noticed the vain in Dean's neck pulsing, his jaw set and clenched, knowing he was biting his tongue. Dean was already on edge when he came back. When Sam told him about Emmy's reckless move, he was ready to kill someone. And now their sister wasn't helping with her provocative and defying attitude. Sam knew his sister, she was smart, but now she was being plain stupid. He didn't wait for his brother to react and decided to take it from there.

"Honey," he started, barely getting the word out before she lashed out.

"Don't you honey me!"

"Mary-Elisabeth, you better watch your tone or I'll pull this car over right now!" Dean threatened.

"Then do it! I don't care!" She cried, angry tears pooling in her eyes.

Sam twisted in his seat to face her. "Emmy, calm down," he said in a gentle tone. "I know you're mad, okay, I understand. But you have to see this from our perspective, too."

"You don't understand, you never do," she mumbled as she crossed her arms, looking back out the window.

"Then enlighten us," Dean snapped, earning a disapproving look from his brother that clearly stated he had to take it down a notch.

Emmy drew her legs up against her chest, resting her chin on her knees. "What I did is nothing compared to what you guys do every single day. All you do is risk your lives for strangers, you don't even think about it, you just do it. How do you think that makes _me_ feel, knowing that when push comes to shove, you'll both sacrifice yourself to save some stupid people we don't even know. You'd chose them over _me._ " Another tear escaped from her eye and she quickly wiped it off with her sleeve hoping they didn't see.

The brothers' glances crossed each other, their eyes sharing mutual feelings and thoughts.

Dean sighed. "Sweetheart, that's not true. Don't you ever let that thought cross your mind ever again."

"Yeah, we would never pick them over you." Sam reached over the front seat, stroking the back of her head. "Hey, look at me, honey." But Emmy didn't budge and kept her head buried against her knees.

"Why would you even think such thing?" Dean asked, briefly taking his eyes off the road to look at her. Seeing her huddled and upset, all he wanted was to engulf her in his arms.

"'Cuz that's what you did." Emmy sniffled, sounding muffled.

"What are you talking about?" he questioned with a frown.

Emmy finally looked up, her cheeks blotched and wet. "You tried to make a deal with the demon. You were ready to throw your life away just like that."

Dean went quiet. His jaw flexed while his knuckled turned white around the steering wheel, something that didn't went unseen by Sam.

"When you were trapping that demon, you weren't... " Sam started nervously, "I mean, it was all a trick, right? You never considered actually making that deal, right?"

Dean stared straight ahead, his teeth hurting from putting so much pressure on them. He stole a quick glance from Emmy's awaiting and glistening eyes. He couldn't hold her gaze for too long, feeling the guilt gnawing at him. He once again felt like a failure for disappointing his siblings. The deal had sounded so perfect – selling his soul in exchange for his father. He didn't have the guts to admit that there was a fleeting moment he actually considered offing himself.

His silence was the answer his siblings needed and both Emmy and Sam were momentarily rendered speechless, too shocked about the realization that if their brother had made the wrong decision, he wouldn't have been there with them driving the Impala.

"See that's exactly what I'm talking about!" Emmy suddenly broke the silence, the anger was back, ringing in her voice. "You guys are such hypocrites! I put my own life at risk to save my family and you act like it was the most stupid and reckless thing I've ever done. While mister Dean Winchester practically almost sold his soul and all he gets is _absolutely nothing_?"

Sam did see her point but didn't bother to react, he still had to take in the fact that he could've lost both his siblings in one day. He wasn't used to this, the thought of his brother and sister risking their lives in order to save the ones they loved. Well, deep down, he did expect this from Dean, but not _both_ of them. He suddenly felt a load of respect and sympathy towards his baby sister, she had to live with that every day.

"Emmy, we talked about this," Dean drew out a long, tired breath. "It's _our_ job to protect you, not the other way around."

"This is so unfair! So you want me to just stand there and do _nothing_ while you're dying?" she exclaimed.

"Yes, dammit!" Dean hit his hand against the wheel in frustration.

"Don't yell at her," Sam warned quietly.

His brother took a deep breath, rubbing a hand over his face. Once he had everything under control, he beckoned her over. "C'mere."

Emmy hesitated, staring between her brothers.

Dean had no time for this. "Emmy, just get your little ass over here."

Once she was seated in the front seat, she subconsciously inched towards Sam which didn't go unnoticed by the male Winchesters.

"I made a promise to Dad, alright," Dean started. "He ordered me to take care of you, to do whatever it takes to protect you, and I take that responsibility very serious. That means I'll do stuff you're not gonna be okay with, but I don't care about that. I'd do anything for you, to make you happy, to give you what you deserve. And _that_ is all that matters to me."

"You'd do anything? Even selling your soul like Dad did?"

"Yes, and you wanna know why?"

Emmy nodded as she wiped her tears away.

"Because I'm a selfish hypocrite."

Sam snorted, shaking his head at his brother.

"I know you'd do the same," Dean confronted his brother. "We're Winchesters, it's what we do. Making bad decisions and stupid mistakes is our specialty."

"Which means you can't be angry with me for being a Winchester," Emmy smartly put forth.

Dean rolled his eyes. "We're not angry with you, we're angry at the thought of these hellhounds eating you alive. Anything concerning you getting hurt makes us angry, get used to it."

"But they didn't eat me, they didn't even hurt me," she pointed out.

Sam tugged at her necklace. "That's cuz this thing is broken. I already called Bobby, he's gonna take a look at it."

A little smile played at Emmy's lips as she thought of her surrogate uncle. She missed him and Rumsfeld. She couldn't wait to explore the Salvage Yard again, getting dirty and eat lots of candy.

"Hey, wipe that smile off your pretty face," Dean spoke up. "Before you make any plans, keep in mind that you're grounded."

That did the trick and her smile fell in less than a second. "What? Why?"

"Oh I have my reasons. Like ignoring a direct order, lying and oh, did I forget something else Sam?" Dean pretended to think, tapping a finger on his chin.

Sam fixed his sister with a pointed look. "I think you forgot swearing."

Emmy slid down the seat, trying to hide her face in her sweater. When being consumed by intense emotions, she realized that crossing boundaries seemed to be a lot easier. But now she had to face the consequences.

"If I ever hear you swearing again, you'll get a bar of soap," Dean told her sternly.

Emmy pouted. "But Michael does it all the time and his mother never says anything."

Sam pinched her chin. "Honey, you're not Michael and we're not his mother. They have their rules and we have our own."

"But what is wrong with saying stuff like 'shit'? You say it all the time."

"It's not proper for a young lady like you," Dean said, hating when vulgar words came out of her mouth. It just didn't match with that sweet, innocent face of hers. "And we're adults, which means we get to say stuff like that."

"But I'm allowed to say poop which is basically the same thing," she reasoned.

"No it's not, it's an euphemism," Sam tried to explain.

"When am I allowed to curse then?" she wondered.

"Never," both brothers replied at the same time.

"I don't know if I mentioned this before, but you guys are hypocrites."

She loved her family to the moon and back, but they were gonna be the death of her one day. Literally. There were times where they made her blood boil, times where she asked herself if she was even related to these men, times were she wished she had another family. But when it came down to it, she'd never trade her family for the world. Yes, they were all 'selfish hypocrites' but that's how they are, it comes with the whole Winchester package and she already agreed with the terms and conditions, there was no turning back now. She was stuck with these two for life.

Sam noticed his sister being quiet and nudged her. "You know we love you right?"

"Yeah, yeah." Emmy shot him that dimpled smile of hers that made him catch his breath. "And I love you, too. Even though you make me wanna strangle you sometimes."

Dean slung his arm around her neck, pressing his lips against the top of her head before planting a kiss. That was his way of saying _I love you, too, more than you know._ He never was a man of words, he believed that actions spoke so much louder.

 ** _A/N:_** **Finally! I got this stupid chapter up! You guys have no idea how much I struggled with this. I had originally planned to write "The Usual Suspects"-episode but once I was halfway through it I just wasn't happy with it. So I deleted it and decided to just skip it. So that's the reason I took so long … SORRY! I hope this extra-long chapter makes up for the long wait though. Anyway, let me know what you think of this one.**

 **Next chapter will be about Emmy's first training and the big reveal! What do you think John told Dean about Emmy? I've dropped some hints every now and then, no one has guessed it right yet so I'll let you think some more ;)**

 **Don't forget to review! Also thanks for all those reads, follows and favorites, you guys are the best XXX**

 **Ps: I've recently updated my side story** ** _Reminiscence_** **.** **Make sure to check it out if you're looking for something to kill time or just for pure fun :)**

 **(If you find a grammar mistake, please don't hold back and point it out. Thank you!)**


	10. Croatoan

**Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural, I only own my OC Mary-Elisabeth "Emmy" Winchester.**

Emmy shuddered when a cold night wind blew through her hair. She buttoned up her coat as she leaned against the hood of the Impala waiting for her brothers. The smell of gasoline lingered in the air around the gas station causing her to bury her nose in her scarf. Her blue eyes were fixed on the glass doors to the small convenience store where her brothers had disappeared. Looking around, she frowned when she suddenly noticed the lack of cars. The Impala seemed out of place in the abandoned gas station and the silence was deafening. Not even the sound of a car or cricket could be heard. Maybe that could be explained with fact that it was three in the morning but she still couldn't shake off the strangeness of it.

They had been on the road for three days now, on their way to South Dakota. At the rate Dean was going, Emmy was sure they would arrive at Bobby's in less than a day. She was tired of staying in the car all the time, tired of doing nothing but sleep and eat and play and listen to her brother's music. She couldn't wait to get to Bobby's and go back to annoy the hell out of him and horse around with Rumsfeld. Oh how she had missed those two…

A sizzling sound drew Emmy's attention to the badly lit neon lights on top of the store. The letters were barely holding on and only three of them were still on. Emmy tried to make out the words but had no chance to when the remaining lights suddenly exploded. She instinctively took a step back, wincing when a piece of glass left a small cut on her cheek. She wiped away the drop of blood with her sleeve. Since the only source of light had exploded, the gas station suddenly was left in darkness.

Emmy shivered as she caught a figure standing near one of the gas pumps. She wasn't sure if the man was facing her or not, he was just standing there with his hands tucked in his pockets.

"Hello?" she called out, her breath fogging in the cold night air.

The man didn't budge, nor did he gave any sign of having heard her. Emmy didn't know if he even acknowledged her but his presence was alarming. Taking no chances, she decided to get into the convenience store where her brothers were taking too long.

The glass doors opened automatically and a bell rang above her head as she entered. Emmy walked through the isles, looking for her brothers.

"Sammy? Dean? Sammy?"

When Emmy got no response, she searched for the isle holding alcoholic beverages, knowing that the chance of finding Dean there was one out of two. "Dean?" she called out but found no one.

As she walked through the racks, her steps quickened until she was almost running. Emmy felt like being in a maze as she crossed the entrance for what felt like the hundredth time.

"You guys, this isn't funny!"

Emmy half-expected her brothers to show up, laughing about how they got a scare out of her while she would lie about how she wasn't scared at all. But the hairs standing on the back of her neck, her erratic breathing and her wild heartbeat proved otherwise.

"Is anybody here?" she asked as she ran to the counter. She let out a breath of relief when she found someone sitting on a chair, reading something in his lap. "Oh, thank god," she sighed at the sight of the cashier. "Excuse me mister, have you seen my brothers? One tall guy with short hair and another taller guy with longer hair. One of them is wearing a leather jacket, the other's got a …" Emmy trailed off when she got no response. She snapped her fingers, "Excuse me!" But the man kept his head down, his chin pressed against his chest, his magazine resting on his belly.

" _Helloooo_!" she hit her hand against the counter, trying to get his attention but to no avail. She was about to raise her voice when something caught her eye. A trickle of red substance trailed down the man's throat. Emmy craned her neck, frowning when the man seemed to be bleeding out of his ears.

"Uh, mister? Are you okay?" Worry started to settle into the pit of her stomach when she got no reply. Emmy decided to crawl over the counter to reach the man. She lightly shook his shoulder but she didn't even get a single reaction. She then moved her hand to his neck, trying to feel his pulse. But as soon as her fingers moved up to his throat, the man's head slowly lolled back until it dropped to the floor, rolling away.

Emmy's mouth opened, too shocked to make a sound let alone breathe. When she finally found her voice, she couldn't hold off the bloodcurdling scream escaping her lips. She jumped off the counter, tripping over her own feet. She picked herself up, making a beeline for the doors when a figure appeared in front of her, blocking her.

As she looked up, her breath hitched and her heart dropped. The man crouched in front of her. Emmy studied his features, the crowfeet around his eyes, the faint grey hairs, the scar on his jawline hidden by his stubble, the wrinkles on his forehead. Every inch of him was exactly like she remembered. Even his scent was the same. She looked into those familiar eyes, eyes of someone who saw too much suffering, but looking passed that pain, she could still find that speck of light even if it was barely there.

"D-daddy?" she choked out with tears rolling down her cheeks.

The corners of his lips twitched in that smile he only reserved for her and Emmy thought she was going to lose it right there and then.

"D-daddy?" Her small voice trembled in disbelief.

John reached for her, his fingers caressing her hair. His calloused hand stroked her cheek and Emmy closed her eyes, leaning into his touch. When his hand dropped, her eyes opened, seeking for his warmth but her father reclined. Confusion washed over her.

"Come with me." He offered his hand and Emmy looked down at it with a frown. "Let's leave this place."

"And go where?" she wanted to know.

"Far away from here, somewhere safe."

Emmy tried to read his eyes but could only find unconditional love and trust. She lifted her hand but drew back last second.

"What about Sammy and Dean?"

"They're waiting for you," he answered with a soft voice.

Emmy contemplated her next move, something told her that this wasn't right. She looked up at her father where he stood steadily waiting. Her eyes narrowed in question, "But you're … you're dead."

"This isn't about me, baby girl. You need to come with me before anything happens," he coaxed, his voice urgent.

"But, this can't be true," she stammered, slowly shaking her head, "H-how?"

John's patience was wearing thin and he exhaled loudly through his nose. "Emmy," he started firmly, taking a step forward, "now's not the time for Q's and A's, take my hand and then we can talk."

Emmy looked down at her father's hand. She was so tempted to just grab it and let him take her wherever he wanted to go. She always followed the man blindly, she trusted him with her heart and life … only something was off.

Taking a small step back, she slightly shook her head. "I-I can't."

John's face fell, his eyes suddenly held something that wasn't there before – something fierce, venomous. His jaw ticked, the vain by his throat pulsed. "What do you mean you can't?" he asked through gritted teeth.

Emmy sniffed, blinking to clear her vision from the tears building up in her eyes. "Y-you're not my father. You're … I don't know what or who you are but you're not my father. My father is _dead!_ "

Before she could move, his hands suddenly gripped her arms, pulling her towards him. Emmy struggled, fighting against his hold but she couldn't compete with his strength.

John's face was merely inches away from hers, his nostrils flaring. "Look me in the eye and say that again."

Emmy's lips quivered, her body shaking as fear started growing inside of her. She was scared of her father, she'd never been scared of the man before. She admired her father, she held him in high regard, she cared about nothing but his approval, he had that effect on her. But being scared of him? Never. No place was safer than being in his presence. But she felt nowhere near safe right now. She wanted to flee, get as far away from him as possible.

"Y-you're not him," she whispered so softly, even her own ears couldn't pick up the words but John did.

Emmy watched as that speck of light in his eyes disappeared into darkness, a wicked grin played at his lips. "I knew you were a smart girl, Mary-Elisabeth. I might not be your daddy but you're mine in every way and I came to collect what belongs to me."

"N-no." Emmy protested as she started trashing in his arms. "Get off me!" He started to laugh, his chest rumbling against her and the familiar feeling was enough to release a pathetic and desperate sob. "Let me go!"

"Just say the word, Emmy. Say _yes."_

"Never," she spat.

"C'mon, it's not that hard now, is it? _Yes._ I know you can say it. Do it for me, do it for _Daddy_ ," he persuaded, never letting go of her.

" _NO!"_ she cried, clawing at his arms.

The sudden sound of someone walking got them both looking behind them. A young man, clad in a suit and his hair combed back, appeared from one of the isles. The distraction was the only thing Emmy needed as she bolted out of her 'father's' arms, going as far away from his as possible.

"You okay, sweetcheeks?" the stranger asked, offering her a hand.

Never trust strangers was a golden rule in Emmy's book, but she couldn't explain how only one look at the man got her feel so safe all of a sudden. Without thinking, she found herself accepting his hand so he could pull her up. She gazed up at the man, feeling like she knew him from somewhere but she couldn't put her finger on it. That's when she suddenly remembered, her eyes widening.

"You're the guy from the hospital. You showed me that trick with those M&M's!"

The man smirked. "Yeah, also known as the guy that saved you from that hillbilly, the lovey-dovey vampires, your own brother and now this devil's spawn."

Emmy's eyebrows bunched up in confusion. She couldn't remember all that.

As if he had read her mind, his hand suddenly dropped on her shoulder. "That's the intention. Name's Gabriel by the way."

"We done with the heart to heart?" John suddenly spoke up. "What the hell do you think you're doing in here?"

"You mean in her head? In her dream to be more specific," Gabriel clarified. "Although, one could say that this was about to turn into a nightmare."

"What?" Emmy mouthed, muddled.

John chuckled, not the kind where he's amused but more like he wanted to rip someone's throat out with his bare hands. That alone was enough for Emmy to know for certainty that this man was _not_ her father.

"You haven't answered my question yet."

Gabriel snorted. "Oh, you know damn well what I'm doing in here, you sneaky little bitch."

Again, John only chuckled again. "You gotta hand it to me, this," he spread his arms, gesturing everything around them, "was pretty genius, don't you think."

"It's cowardly, that's what it is," Gabriel spat. "I've warned you many times to stay away from her but you keep following her around."

"I've kept my distance, didn't I," he pointed out.

"Then why are you showing up in her dream?" Gabriel demanded, his hand tightening around Emmy's shoulder.

"Ah-ah, as far as I know, appearing in her dreams wasn't mentioned in our agreement."

Gabriel's teeth clenched. "Leave. Right now."

"Or what?" he taunted with a devilish smirk.

"I think you're forgetting who you're talking to, demon boy."

 _Demon?_ Emmy thought with a gasp, drawing John's attention. His lips turned upwards into a grin while his eyes faded into a yellowish color. Emmy staggered, backing up into Gabriel. The angel's arm came around her, protecting her like a shield.

"How do you like my new costume?" Azazel asked as he made a gesture of showing off his new body. "Suits me, dontcha think?"

Emmy swallowed down the lump in her throat, feeling another flow of fresh tears rolling down her face.

"You think disguising that ugly mug of yours will get her to give you her permission?" Gabriel confronted.

Azazel shrugged. "Almost worked, didn't it?"

"You're forgetting that she isn't yours, Azazel," Gabriel reminded him through narrowed eyes. "She only belongs to God, only He can tell what her future will hold. And believe me when I say that _you_ are not a part of it."

John took slow, antagonizing steps as he walked towards them. Emmy quivered and hid behind the angel but Gabriel didn't stir an inch. It was so horrifying seeing the man wearing her father's face, she had to give the demon credit for copying her father into the tiniest details like that little mole on the inside of his middle finger on his right hand. No wonder she almost fell into his trap, he was the spitting image of her father.

"Are you forgetting about the deal I made with her whore of a mother," Azazel spat, his yellow eyes blazing with fury.

If Emmy wouldn't have been nailed to the ground by fear, she would've kicked him in the balls just for saying that.

Gabriel inched closer, reducing the space between himself and the demon. "Are you forgetting about God's plans for her!"

"You think I give a flying shit about Mister Bigot's big scheme?"

With one flick of his wrist, Gabriel sent the demon flying into one of the racks. "You watch your tongue, hellion. That's my Father you're talking about."

Azazel licked some blood from his lips as he stood back up, casually adjusting his jacket. "Listen, you give me the end of my bargain and I'll try to leave her in one piece. Deal?"

Emmy clutched the back of Gabriel's suit, shuddering when a cold shill ran up her spine.

"I never make deals with demons. Never really was a fan of all the _seal it with a kiss_ procedure," Gabriel smirked. "I got a better idea – how about you never show your revolting self on the face of this planet again, or I'll put the fear of God in you. And trust me, you don't wanna get Daddy bent out of shape," he advised with a wink. "Deal?"

Emmy hid her face against the angel's back when all the windows suddenly shattered. The ground started shaking beneath them causing every article in the store to fall. Flames started licking at every surface it could reach, igniting blazing fires everywhere. There was a loud roar and Emmy didn't know where it came from until she noticed the demon's true face. Azazel's fists were balled up, his shoulders strained, every muscle in his body pulsed. She was going to have nightmares about this. There were no words to describe his true form, it was simply too horrifying to define.

Emmy didn't understand how Gabriel was so calm and collected. His facial expression was so neutral, like this didn't impress him at all. Could he really be an angel, Emmy wondered – she did feel safe and protected with him and he seemed to have her best interest at heart. Looking down at her, he cupped her chin, his lips moving. But Emmy couldn't hear him over the noise of the store breaking down and debris flying everywhere. She held onto him like he was her lifeline. A crack above them signaled her that the ceiling was about to collapse. Emmy closed her eyes, bracing herself for the crash when she heard two words, loud and clear, in her head.

"Wake up."

 **SPN**

Emmy jolted upright in her bed, panting and sweating. She looked around at her surroundings, noticing the light blue room, her desk, the pictures of her family on the wall, her father's leather jacket hanging on her door, Rumsfeld sleeping at the end of her bed …

"Bobby's," she breathed in realization. "I'm at uncle Bobby's."

Emmy let out a breath of relief, trying to still her heart and compose herself. What kinda nightmare was that? She racked her mind to remember the dream but she let out a sound of frustration when she came up empty. She hated those dreams, the kind that seemed to slip right through her fingers the second she woke up. She lay back in bed, pinching her eyes closed, trying to catch a glimpse of the dream that had left her breathless, but got jack squat.

After ten minutes of unsuccessfully forcing herself to get back to sleep with the hope of continuing her dream, she gave up and pushed the covers off her body. She shivered when the cold hit her bare arms and legs as she started for the bathroom. Emmy brushed her teeth and combed her hair when something caught her eye in the mirror. There was a small cut on her cheek, right below her eye. She couldn't remember ever getting that cut, she could've sworn that it wasn't there the day before…

"Oh well," she shrugged it off and decided to get down with Rumsfeld trailing behind her.

Even though it was almost ten in the morning, she didn't think that either of her brothers would've been up yet. They had arrived at two in the morning after having driven three days nonstop. Sam and Dean had lots of sleep to catch up on. Hence why she was surprised to see them both waiting for her in the kitchen singing _happy birthday._

Emmy stopped dead in her tracks, looking at the decoration made out of balloons and garlands, and a chocolate cake. She stood there like a statue, not making a move or sound. When they were done singing, she couldn't even bring herself to react.

Dean nudged his brother with a smirk. "I think we aced the surprise element."

Emmy blinked. "Am I still dreaming?"

"No, you silly," Sam laughed as he walked over to her, lifting her up in his arms and planting two big kisses on her cheek. "Happy belated birthday!"

"Belated birthday?" she repeated, wincing when Dean blew one of those party horns near her hear, startling her which he of course found hilarious.

"Yeah, when you were sleeping last night, Bobby and I were talking about those rollerskates he had bought you for your birthday, and how he should've asked my permission first because if I had say in it, I would've said no. Those things can kill you. I once met this kid with no teeth, he could only ate fluid stuff, can you imagine not eating pie? I mean – "

"What Dean is trying to say," Sam suddenly cut him off, "is that we remembered never having given you the birthday you deserved. So that's why we decided to do it today."

"Better late than never," Dean grinned as he put a party hat on her head.

"Oh," was the only thing Emmy could say. "You made this cake for me?" she asked as she pointed at the chocolate cake covered in candy.

"I made it, he decorated it," Sam answered.

Emmy couldn't help but smile, this absolutely warmed her heart. "Thank you!" Since she was still in Sam's arms, she wrapped one arm around his neck and the other around Dean, pulling him closer. "You guys are the best brothers ever!" She squealed as she pressed their faces against hers, squishing their cheeks against her own.

"You haven't even opened your gifts yet."

Emmy let go of her brothers, her eyes growing with excitement.

Dean chuckled, passing her his gift first. He had put a lot of work into wrapping it up, it almost took him half an hour but she only needed five seconds to open it. Once she got rid of the paper, Emmy took the little box and shook it a little.

"Is it a little bunny?"

"No," Dean snorted. "You ever seen a bunny that fits in a tiny box like that?"

"Is it a little birdie?"

Dean rolled his eyes. "Will you open the damn box!"

As she opened it, her jaw went slack as soon as her eyes fell on the two silvery, flower earrings. "They're beautiful," she whispered in awe.

"They were mom's," Dean said softly. "She got it from dad on their first date. She used to wear them all the time until you were born. You thought nothing was more fun than pulling at them like they were some toys you could play with."

A small smile played on the siblings' lips at the sweet memory.

"I-I can't possibly were those," Emmy said.

"Why not?" Dean questioned.

"Well for one, they're too pretty and two, my ears are not pierced," she pointed out. Her brother simply smiled and handed her a pamphlet of a jewelry shop. She looked up at Dean in disbelief. "You're gonna let me get my ears pierced? Really?"

"Yeah," he gave in reluctantly. "But that's about the only piercing you'll ever get in your body, do you hear me?"

Emmy flew in his arms, hugging him tightly around his neck and repeatedly kissing the side of his face. "Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!"

"Okay, cutie pie," Dean chuckled, patting her back. "I'm awesome, I know."

"Wait till she gets my gift and then we'll see who's more awesome," Sam grinned, handing her an envelope.

Emmy eagerly opened it, revealing two tickets. She squealed so loud, both brothers winced, their eardrums were probably damaged.

"You got me tickets to the new Harry Potter movie?!"

"Look again," Sam pointed at the tickets.

"In 3D!" she cried in excitement. "I've never seen a movie in 3D before, it's like I'm gonna be in Hogwarts! This is awesome, Sammy you're awesome!" She jumped back into his arms, hugging him tightly and giving him the same treatment she gave Dean.

"More awesome than me?" Dean asked with a cocked eyebrow.

"You guys are both awesome," she grinned. "You really are the best brothers ever," she added softly as she looked at the cake, the decorations, the itchy hats and gifts. How she wished her father were here … "Where's uncle Bobby?"

"Getting some groceries. We might've used more than we actually needed for this cake," Sam admitted sheepishly, causing her to giggle.

"Okay, let's blow these candles so we can eat the cake," Dean rushed while Sam put her down in one of the chairs.

Emmy filled her cheeks, blowing them all out with one single breath. After some pictures were taken, the Winchesters finally cut the cake. Emmy had to admit that it tasted quite good, _really good_. She always wanted to have cake for breakfast and her wish finally came true.

Sam and Dean suddenly flinched in pain when their baby sister pinched them in their arms.

"Ouch!" Dean tried to rub the sting away.

"What was that for?" Sam wanted to know.

Emmy swallowed down her cake. "Just wanted to double check if I wasn't dreaming."

"You're supposed to pinch yourself, not us."

"Oops," she smiled cheekily, shrieking when two pairs of hands started tickling her sides.

 **SPN**

Emmy looked down at the bat in her hand, swinging it back and forth, making sounds that only belonged to a light saber. She rested the bat on the grass, leaning against it as she watched her brothers talking about some fighting techniques.

"So what exactly am I supposed to do with this?"

Sam and Dean exchanged some last hushed words before Sam walked over to her, rolling up his sleeves and spreading his feet as he stood solidly in front of her.

"Hit me with it."

Emmy looked between her brothers, waiting for their serious expression to change, but they didn't falter.

"I'm not gonna hit you with a baseball bat," she exclaimed. "I don't wanna hurt you."

Dean snorted, amused. He gave his brother a look and said, "She's cute."

"Uh, and what is that supposed to mean?" Emmy demanded with a hand on her hip.

"It means you can't hurt me, honey," Sam chuckled.

Her eyes narrowed. "So you think I don't have it in me?"

"Well to be honest here," Dean started, scratching the back of his head, "you don't really stand a chance against this BFG."

Emmy couldn't believe her brothers, did they really underestimate her that much? "Is it because I'm a girl?"

Sam shrugged. "Amongst other things."

The ten year old blonde heard enough and swung the bat as high and as hard as she could. Sam singlehandedly stopped the bat mere inches from actually hitting him.

He nodded, impressed. "Not bad. Use that rage, it fuels your strength."

"Wait, you said all that just to stir me up?" she wondered out loud.

"Pretty much," Dean spoke up. "Except for the cute part, you really are cute as a button," he teased with a ruffle of her hair. Emmy gave him the stink eye and only got a wink in response.

Sam clapped his hands together, getting her attention. "Try to always raise your sword or any other weapon above your head before you're gonna strike." Sam motioned for her to do the same. Emmy help up the bat high in the air.

"Good," Sam nodded. "Now if you're aiming for the opponent's upper body, you keep your weapon parallel to the ground. If you're going for the lower body, you make a downward swinging cut. Get it?"

"Hmm," she hummed. "What if I wanna hit the center, like it's torso?"

"That one requires practice, let's keep it to the basics today, alright," Dean said.

"Let's try this first. Make sure you don't struck your head when you lift your weapon," Sam cautioned as he showed her the moves step by step.

After almost an hour practicing with the bat, they put the weapon aside. Dean stepped up, showing her some basic self-defense fight techniques, while Emmy took a break sitting on the grass. Sam went to get her something to drink.

"Lesson one, thrust the sole of your foot towards the attacker's knee to incapacitate 'em. And since they generally need a set of legs to chase you down, it will buy you enough time to book it."

"Why not just kick 'em in the nuts, that's what Dad used to tell me," Emmy said.

"Because unlike the groin and face region, the knee is nearly impossible to block," Dean explained. "Though I'm not stopping you from kicking them in the nuts, that hurts like a bitch. But make sure you kick real hard."

"Got it," she nodded. "What's lesson two?"

"A hit to the solar plexus can knock the wind out of the sucker," Dean said as he pointed at the center of his chest. "Lesson number three, don't try to beat a wrist hold by pulling away."

"What do you mean?" Emmy asked.

Dean motioned for her to stand up and held her wrist to show her. "Try to get out of my hold without pulling."

Emmy automatically started pulling which of course didn't work. She tried to twist her hand and even used her free hand to free herself but to no avail. "I give up," she sighed.

"Watch and learn," he told her. "Rotate your wrist until your thumb lines up with where my fingers meet my thumb." Emmy did as he said. "Now jerk sharply by bending your arm at the elbow." In one move, Emmy suddenly found her wrist free from his hold.

"Wow."

"Okay, lesson number three. Use elbow strikes instead of your fists." Dean demonstrated hitting with his elbow. "There's a closer effective striking range than punching. You can also cause cuts and if you aim for the attacker's temple, you can even cause immediate unconsciousness."

Emmy tried to mentally memorize her brother's moves and words. She looked up when Sam joined them, throwing her a bottle of water which she accepted with a quick thanks.

"Lesson number four, poking someone in the eye may seem like a silly three Stooges move but believe me, it works."

"Ew," Emmy mumbled as she looked down at her fingers, imagining poking them in someone's eye. It better save her life or it wouldn't be worth it at all.

"Sam, I need you for lesson number five." Dean waited for his brother to stand in front of him before holding him in a chokehold. "This one's called the Guillotine Choke, Dad's favorite. Hold your opponents head down into your chest, and towards one of your armpits."

Emmy watched as Sam's face turned red from the lack of air. She wasn't sure if she should be concerned or if this was all part of the demonstration.

Dean continued like nothing was going on. "Reach around their head with, what I like to call, your choker arm and slide it under and around their throat."

Sam started struggling, trying to pull away. "Dean," he wheezed.

"Now lock your hands together, drop your chocking elbow slightly and pull up to cut their air supply."

"Uh, Dean," Emmy pointed at Sam who was literally choking, "you're choking him."

"I know," Dean smirked, holding his brother for a bit longer until Sam thrust his elbow into his stomach. Dean released him with a playful grin.

Sam rubbed his throat as he coughed to get as much air back into his lungs. "You jerk."

"Oh, Sammy, you fall for it every time," Dean snickered. "Just like the old days."

Emmy just assumed that this wasn't the first time her brothers seemed to nearly kill each other for fun. " _Boys,"_ she muttered under her breath.

Sam lowered himself next to her, his breathing still ragged. Emmy handed him her own bottle of water. "You okay?" she asked worriedly to which he simply nodded while he glared at Dean.

"Lesson number six, size doesn't matter with this one, so pay attention," Dean send her a meaningful look. "It's called the ear slap, it will send a blast of air into their ear canal, throwing off their equilibrium."

"Really?" Emmy sounded surprised, it sounded so easy and simple, she could do this one.

"You hit hard and fast enough, you could rupture their eardrums, like you almost did this morning with all that squealing."

Emmy couldn't help but giggle.

"Okay, last lesson for today. The best thing you can do to get clear of danger is run."

"I can do that," she nodded.

"That's why you and Sam are gonna run some miles, get you back in shape," Dean decided.

Emmy blew a breath in annoyance. "Aww, but I wanted to play with Rumsfeld!"

"You still have and entire week to play with him, sweetheart. But first, we're gonna practice the lessons I thought you today, then you're going for a run with Sam."

"Then I can play with Rummy?" she asked as she stood up, dusting off her shorts.

Dean sighed. "Then you can go play with _Rummy_."

 **SPN**

"So what you're sayin' is that some man touched your sister's necklace and it just _stopped_ workin'?" Bobby asked, expressing his unbelief. "The same man that's been followin' her around for quite some time now?"

"Yes and yes," Sam nodded, grabbing two beers from the fridge.

Bobby accepted the bottle and got back to examining Emmy's necklace. "And you said you never saw the guy?"

"She bumped into him two times already, just when Dean or I aren't around," he said as he leaned against the counter.

"That don't sound unintended at all," the old man mumbled under his breath.

Sam snorted as he brought the beer to his lips. "You're telling me."

Bobby struggled opening the tiny, little charm with the help of some tweezers but after some pulling and probing he finally managed to unseal the two halves of the butterfly. His eyebrows shot to his hairline as he inspected the inside of it.

"No wonder this thing's out of wack," he commented with a scoff.

"What?" Sam got up to take a closer look, his eyes briefly widening at the sight of what looked like black powder. "Are those ashes?"

"Everything in it is burned," Bobby determined before looking at the Winchester over his shoulder. "Now, you tell me what kinda monster can do such thing with a single touch."

Sam's eyes flickered in realization but he couldn't bring himself to say the word. He would be lying if he said he never held a demon as possible suspect in the back of his head, but he had secretly hoped he had it wrong, not able to stand the thought of some black-eyed demon stalking his little sister.

Bobby could see the alarm and fear on Sam's face. Not fear from coming face to face with the demon, but fear from losing the only thing he lived for. Since Sam wasn't going to say it, he decided to carefully approach the subject.

"Your daddy never got to chance to get his revenge, years had he been hunting the one that took your mother, but instead of killing it, he ended up as the one being killed … "

Sam's gaze flickered to his surrogate uncle in question. "Are you saying that Yellow Eyes is behind this?"

Bobby adjusted his cap with a jerky motion. "I'm sayin' that sonuvabitch is still out there, breathing air. And we both know how demons are hell bent on living up to their end of the bargain."

Sam knew he was talking about the deal his mother once made. His life and hers in exchange for a newborn. He still didn't know what had gotten into his mother for even considering making the deal but he was mostly glad she didn't go through with it, even if it did cost her life …

"Can you fix it?"

Bobby exhaled. "I'll try … But Sam you need to know I can't keep patching this thing up."

"I know," he replied softly. Sam dropped his gaze to his beer, staring at it for several seconds, using the silence to think. "You know she almost killed herself last week."

Bobby momentarily stopped tinkering with the necklace to look up.

"She literally threw herself in front of these hellhounds just to save me."

"Bull," Bobby said in disbelief.

Sam snorted. "I wish. I thought I forgot what being scared feels like, but she just gave a whole new meaning to being scared to death. You know that gut-wrenching, heart-stopping, nailed to the ground kind of scared? Like you don't know if you wanna strangle her or kiss her?"

Bobby's lips twitched in a small smile. From the moment he lay his eyes on the little girl, he just knew she was gonna be the death of them. He had always said it and will keep saying it.

"Did she go all kamikaze with those hellhounds or what?"

A mix of stupefaction and uncertainty crossed Sam's face. "No – they just stopped."

" _Stopped_ ," Bobby repeated.

"Yeah, they just turned into these giant puppies, except for when I approached her or when she made a move to leave," Sam explained, still needing to process what he witnessed.

Bobby quieted for a full minute, staring at the necklace in concentration. "Your sister's special, that's for sure. But I don't think we know half of what's goin' on with her."

"I don't like this, Bobby, I don't like this at all."

Sam bit his lip, not a fan of her being the center of attention. Especially not when she drew the attention of bad things who had bad intentions. He already made peace with the fact that he was special too, and that some demon wanted to turn him into one of his puppets but Sam was okay with that. He was going to fight, he was going to lose and win, he was going to make sacrifices but he was okay with that, he already accepted his fate. But that was not the life he wanted for his baby sister.

 _Take_ me _but please, please, leave her out of it._

He looked up through the window when he suddenly heard the Impala pull up. A small smile appeared on his lips when he saw Emmy jumping out of the car, saying something to Dean before running towards the porch. She didn't get far though because Dean caught her, throwing her in the air and Sam could practically hear her laugh, a contagious sound he had always loved.

Not more than a minute later, Emmy's sweet giggling echoed through the hallway, growing louder with every closer step they took. Dean appeared in the kitchen with his sister on his shoulders, ducking a little as he walked through the doorway.

"Where's Rumsfeld?" was the first thing she asked.

"Hello to you, too," Bobby grumbled playfully.

"Hi uncle Bobby," She smiled that special smile no one could ever be mad at for too long. "Hey Sammy! Guess what I did today?"

Sam pretended to think. "Is it your hair? You didn't get another haircut did you?"

Dean lifted her off his shoulders to place her on the kitchen counter right next to his brother. He went to the fridge, helping himself with a beer. "I'll give you a hint, Sam. Look around her face."

"Oh I see it! You got a new hairclip."

"No!" Emmy could barely contain a grin as she tucked her hair behind her ears. "Look closer," she said as she grabbed his face, pulling it closer until their noses almost touched.

Sam sniffed, picking up the scent of her shampoo and even some of Dean's cologne. "Are you wearing perfume?"

"Sammy!" she whined in annoyance.

Dean couldn't help but chuckle.

Bobby smirked. "Boy, stop messin' with her."

Sam made a big show of suddenly noticing what had changed about her. "Oooh! Of course, you got your ears pierced and you're wearing your new earrings!"

"Finally," she rolled her eyes. "Do you like it?"

"I love it," he smiled as he cupped her chin, turning it from side to side. God his sister was beautiful, from the delicate futures to those dazzling eyes. And seeing her wear the same earrings his mother always used to wear, recognizing Mary in every little trait, only made his heart beat faster.

"And I didn't cry," she proudly pointed out. "Right Dean?"

"My cutie pie is as tough as nails," he winked. When she looked away, he lifted his beer to hide his face, silently gesturing to Sam and Bobby that she did cry a little.

Bobby snickered while Sam continued listening to her vivid description of how the lady pushed a needle in her earlobe with a gun.

 **SPN**

 _Emmy faced her father with a dimpled smile as she pointed at the gift bag in his hand. "What's that?"_

 _John handed her the bag. "It's for you."_

 _"_ _For me?" she asked in an excited, high-pitched voice._

 _"_ _Consider it a birthday present," John smiled, tugging at her ponytail. "Now are you just gonna stare at it or open it?"_

 _"_ _But I don't understand," Emmy looked at him in confusion. "My birthday isn't until next week."_

 _John swallowed hard. "I know, baby girl. But I felt like this was the right time to give it to you."_

 _"_ _Oh, okay," she shrugged. "I don't think I could've waited until next week anyway," she grinned._

 _"_ _You curious little bug," her father snickered, tweaking her button nose._

 _Emmy opened the bag and took out the blue tissue. Her mouth opened in surprise. "Aw, it's so cute!" She reached her hands inside and grabbed the dark blonde teddy bear. It had a little bow tied around its neck, its fur was so soft against her skin and it fit perfectly in her arms._

 _"_ _You like it?"_

 _"_ _I'm in love with it," Emmy replied, hugging the chubby bear tightly._

 _"_ _It looks like the one your mother got you when you were just a little baby. Unfortunately it got burned in the house fire so we couldn't scavenge it. But I coincidentally came across one that looked exactly the same in a thrift store," he explained._

 _"_ _Thanks, Daddy." Emmy wrapped her arms around his waist, pressing her cheek against his hard stomach. John leaned over to press a kiss on top of her head as he rubbed her back._

 _"_ _You're welcome, sweetie." He patted her back. "You're gonna name it?"_

 _"_ _Did Mom have a name for it?" she asked._

 _"_ _Your mother used to call him Johnny cause she said we had the same dark eyes." John fondly rolled his eyes at the memory._

 _Emmy laughed. "He does have the same eyes as you." She pressed her nose against its soft neck. "He even smells like you," she added. "I think I'm gonna call him Johnny, too. That way I'll always have a part of you near."_

 _"_ _I'd like that," he said quietly, his eyes beginning to water._

 _"_ _Daddy, you okay?" Emmy sounded concerned._

 _"_ _Yeah, I'm just – I'm fine, baby," her father cleared his throat, trying to compose himself. "C'mere, Emmy." He easily picked her up with his good arm. "Baby, I want you to know that you have always belonged to me. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. You were mine from the start and you always will be. Some people will try to prove differently but you don't have to listen to them. Just know that you're my baby girl and nothing will change that."_

 _"_ _Daddy what are you talking about?" she asked, as her eyes swept over her father's face. His eyes were glistening as if he was close to tears and it got her worried._

 _"_ _You might not have my eyes or smile, but from that very first moment I saw you … you had my heart." John briefly closed his eyes, trying to keep his emotions in check before he opened them again. "Promise me you'll always remember that."_

 _"_ _D-daddy what's going on?"_

 _"_ _Emmy, just please, promise me," he practically begged, his voice thick with emotion._

 _"_ _I-I promise," she whispered. "Daddy you're scaring me."_

 _"_ _It's okay to be scared, baby. Everyone is a little scared." John stroked her cheek. "It's the only way to be courageous, just don't let that fear control you or overpower your mind."_

 _"_ _Why are you saying all of this, Daddy?" Emmy's voice trembled._

 _John caught a single tear rolling down her cheek. He cupped the back of her neck, pulling her forehead against his. "Because I love you, Emmy. I love you so much and I want you to never forget that."_

 _"_ _I love you too, Daddy."_

 **SPN**

Emmy woke up with a start with Johnny pressed against her face, tears wetting her cheeks. What was going on with all these dreams she was having lately? And why was she suddenly dreaming about the last moment she shared with her father? Why now? Her heart ached at the thought of her father, it had been almost a year since she lost him. She gave her daddy a special place in her heart and mind and she still missed him every single day, but it was getting easier. Or so she thought. Maybe it was just because she was trying not to think of him too much. Maybe that's the reason she suddenly dreamt about him, since she didn't allow herself to bring him to mind, the thoughts surfaced through her dreams. Either way, the tears she tried to wipe away only got replaced by fresh tears.

Emmy was suddenly overcome by this immense feeling of sadness and emotional pain. She bit her lip trying to stifle the sobs but that didn't make the hurting go away. How come she was still struggling with this while her brothers seemed to have gotten over it? How come she was doing just fine the previous day and now this dream had triggered this emotions she had thought she processed?

Getting out of bed, Emmy walked on her tiptoes, trying not to wake up Rumsfeld snoring on her carpet. Once she had successfully exited her room, she decided to get to Dean's room first which was the closest to hers. She opened the door with a crack, finding him lying on his stomach, sprawled out with the covers tangled between his legs. She half-smiled when she noticed how he slept near the side of his bed, leaving the other half empty. He was so used to sharing a bed with her, he unconsciously always seemed to leave some room.

Emmy didn't have the heart to wake him up, her brother barely had a good night's rest, she didn't want to disturb him. Instead she walked a little further to check on Sam, who was sitting up against the headboard with his computer in his lap. He looked up when he saw his baby sister standing at the doorway.

"Hey, honey. What are you still doing up?"

"I can ask you the same thing," she said, lingering at his door.

 _Oh you know, just having these dreams about our brother murdering an innocent man,_ Sam thought bitterly but he kept the words to himself.

Even though the room was dark, except for the single night-lamp, Sam instantly noticed something was up. He put his laptop aside and patted the space next to him. "C'mere."

Emmy quietly closed the door behind her before crawling into bed next to her brother. Sam held the covers up, letting her cuddle up with him. He wrapped an arm around her, pressing her against his side.

"What's wrong, huh? Did you have a nightmare again?" he asked as he rubbed his thumb along her bare arm.

"No," she mumbled quietly, resting her cheek against his hard chest. "Just a dream."

"What about?"

She simply lifted her shoulders.

"C'mon you can tell me," he pressed gently, "You know I'm an expert at dreams. Well, mostly nightmares, but they're dreams too," he joked, trying to lighten her mood.

Emmy looked down, fiddling with some loose thread of his blanket. "I dreamed about him," she whispered. "About Daddy."

Sam went quiet for several minutes while he continued to rub her arm up and down. "You wanna talk about it?"

"Does it ever get easier?" she wondered.

Sam sighed. "Honestly … no, not really. I still think about him every day. And Mom. And Jessica. And everyone else we couldn't save."

Emmy shifted her head so she could look up at him. "How do you deal with it?"

Sam's hand brushed some hair from her face, his fingers lingering on her earring. "I just make peace with it. I know that whatever I do, nothing will ever bring them back. So I just try to move on, I know that's what they would've wanted."

"It's funny cuz I try _not_ to think about them," she said with a tinge of guilt.

"Look I know when we grew up, there wasn't always time or the possibility to talk about the people we lost. It was taboo to even mention Mom. And I don't blame Dad for it, the man just never had the heart to face the truth," he said as he slowly stroked her hair. "But it's only by talking and thinking about those who died that we keep them fresh in our memory. You don't ever wanna forget the ones you loved, you don't wanna pretend they never existed and wipe away every moment you shared with them."

"That's not why I do it though." Emmy swallowed hard, trying to prevent the big lump in her throat from growing. "I just want the pain to go away."

Sam squeezed her against him. "The pain's never going away, honey. But you can stand up to it, face it, and if you're lucky, you can store it up somewhere deep inside where I won't bother you again."

Emmy quickly brushed a tear away. "Is that how you do it?"

"Yeah," he nodded. "I'm not there yet but I'm getting there, eventually. I can finally talk about Mom and Jessica without wanting to tear my heart right out of my chest. But stuff like that take time. I took years to get over Mom's death, but only months with Jessica's. Doesn't mean I love her less, I think I was just getting used to the concept of losing people I loved."

"How long will it take for me to overcome Dad's death?" she asked with a trembling voice.

"I don't know, honey," he whispered as he caught a tear on his thumb. "It depends from person to person. Some broken people never even mend. I know for a fact that Dean's never gotten over our parents deaths. And he probably never will. I'm not saying he still can't believe they're gone, I'm just saying that if there was a way to bring them back, he would do it in a heartbeat. He still hasn't grown accustomed to life without them, he's holding on to the past too hard."

"He doesn't wanna let them go," she muttered with a sniff.

"But letting them go doesn't mean they'll be gone forever. It's by talking about them and reminiscing the good times that you keep them alive. Only not on earth, but in here," Sam's finger pointed at the left side of her chest where he could feel her beating heart and then tapped his other finger on her temple, "and here."

"I wish he were right _here_ , beside me," she choked out.

"Oh, honey." Sam wrapped his other arm around her, engulfing her in his warm embrace.

He felt a pang in his heart as she softly sobbed against his chest. He could feel her pain and there was nothing he would love to do more than take that away. Life was so unfair to her, yet he never heard her complain once while she had every right to. But she was strong, stronger than himself and he admired her so much for that. He had no care in the world when he was her age, but she already went through so many tragedies in her young life, he sometimes wondered where she even got the strength to hold her head high and smile.

"I just miss him so much," she cried.

"Shh, it's okay Emmy, I got you," he whispered into her hair, planting kisses on top of her head while rubbing her back.

He held her closely until she had cried herself to sleep. Sam looked down at her angelic face, gently drying her tears with the back of his fingers. She had grown so much, it seemed like only yesterday when he constantly fake-sneezed causing her to giggle until she couldn't breathe or when she would pepper his face with sloppy kisses or pull his hair. He had always wondered if she would turn out alright without their mother or any female guidance. Even their father was more absent than he should've been, leaving him and his brother to mostly raise their baby sister on their own, especially Dean who was more of a father figure to her than her own Dad. But she grew into this wonderful, joyful and gorgeous girl. Sometimes Sam wondered what they've done to even deserve her in their lives. He couldn't imagine ever seeing the good between all the bad he faced every day, he couldn't even imagine ever having a life purpose if it weren't for her. She was the one that held the family together when all it did was falling apart, she was the one that gave them hope, something to live for, fight for. Sam doubted that Emmy had any idea of what she really meant to them, she had no clue. They lived for her and would die for her.

 **SPN**

For Emmy, the days that followed were relaxing, fun and tiring. Her week was filled with practicing her fight moves and working out. She had to admit that she did underestimate the amount of time and strength that were needed during the training, not to mention the soreness that seemed to have blocked her body from even making a single move, like eating chips. But Emmy didn't feel like she had the right to complain, she was the one who had asked for this. She wanted to grow stronger, be able to fight, and not be treated like a baby anymore – the last one might be a battle she'll never win, no matter what, she'll always be the baby of the family to her brothers.

Luckily her days weren't only filled with figuring how to escape from tied hands, Emmy also had the opportunity to just rest. Sometimes she would lie on one of the old car's hood and just stare at the sky for hours. Nothing was more peaceful then listening to the wind and guessing what figures the clouds formed. It gave her time to think of all the things that happened, of every hunt they went on, all the people they met, every place they went, every dream she dreamt, every person she lost …

Venting to Sam about her Dad did her good. She never realized how much she bottled everything up until she couldn't keep a hold on her emotions anymore. Emmy learned that the only way to cope is to talk about it. Sam made it clear that he would always listen whenever she wanted to. It made her feel good and safe knowing that she still had family left that would support her through thick and thin. They were all in this together.

"Emmy!"

The ten year old looked up from painting Rumsfeld's nails, quickly hiding the nail polish behind her back as she heard her oldest brother climb up the stairs. She ran to open her window next to her big poster of Harry Potter, one of the five others she got from Sam after they both went to the movies.

"Emmy, sweetheart, where are you?"

"I'm in my room!" she yelled.

Dean opened her door, finding her sitting on the carpet with Rumsfeld lazing next to her. He instantly picked up on the strong smell and squinted his eyes.

"Whatcha doing?"

Emmy shrugged innocently. "Nothing."

"What's that smell?" he asked as he walked closer.

"What smell?" she questioned with a wrinkle of her nose.

Dean looked around in suspicion before his eyes fell on the bright, purple nails of the black Rottweiler. Dean didn't know whether to shake his head or laugh his ass off. So he opted for something in the middle.

"You," he pointed at his baby sister with a shake of his head, "are unbelievable," he finished with a grin he couldn't hold off any longer.

"Don't tell uncle Bobby," she begged, standing up, "he can't know Rummy's in my room, or that I painted his nails, or that I fed him another jar of peanut butter …"

"Emmy!" Dean chastised.

"But he wanted some, he told me." She dropped her gaze to the black dog who was looking up with the perfect set of puppy dog eyes. "How can I say no to that face?"

"Hold on, the dog _told_ you he wanted peanut butter?"

Emmy rolled her eyes, shooting her brother the look that said, _you're so stupid sometimes_. A look she perfected over the years. "How many times do I have to tell you, Dean? We can read each other's minds," she said, tapping her finger on her temple.

It was Dean's turn to roll his eyes. "Unbelievable."

"So what's up?" she asked, plopping down on her bed. "You're not here to show me how to escape from zip ties again, are you? My wrists are still sore from that day."

Dean couldn't help but proudly smirk as he sat next to her. "No, that's for another time. You did good by the way, really good."

"Does that mean you're gonna teach me shoot with guns?" she asked sweetly.

"Until you're a litter older and more experienced," he promised. "But seriously though, I'm really proud of you. I know past week hasn't been easy for you, it's a lot to take in. Despite being sore all over and exhausted, even hurting yourself multiple times, you never gave up. You kept going on and only came back stronger. I guess we really underestimated you."

Emmy smiled, showing off her dimples. "The perks of being a Winchester."

Dean's smile faltered for a second, it was so quick Emmy failed to notice. There was just something about what she said that tugged at his heartstrings. It wasn't the fact that he still wondered if they made the right choice of training her, involving her in the life of a hunter, a life he wanted to keep her out of. It was something else …

"Dean?" Emmy's voice snapped him out of his thoughts. "You zoned out for a second, you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," Dean cleared his throat, running a hand through his hair. "Listen, uh, Sam found a case in Oregon."

"What is it?"

"Uh, we're not really sure," he replied and Emmy instantly noticed he was holding something back.

Dean wasn't about to tell her that Sam had a dream about him shooting someone. It wasn't the first time Sam had these visions, it wouldn't be the first time they came true either. Dean had learned his lesson and wasn't about to question the dependability of those visions, those visions were the real deal and he needed to check it out.

"Is it okay if I stay here?" she asked.

Dean was glad she proposed, it always felt better if she made the choice instead of forcing her to stay behind. If Sam's visions were to come true, then he didn't want her anywhere near himself.

"If that's what you want."

"Yeah," she nodded, biting her bottom lip. "How long will you guys be away?"

Dean sighed. "If we're leaving tonight, probably four to five days." He picked up his hand, running it along her head, smoothing down the soft strands. "Are you gonna be okay till we come back?"

Emmy refrained from rolling her eyes. "I'm a big girl, Dean. Didn't I just prove that to you these last couple days?"

Her brother wrapped his arms around her, kissing the crown of her head. "Nope, you'll always be my little baby, get used to it."

 **SPN**

That night, Emmy hugged her brothers goodbye, waving at them as the Impala sped away. Her guts told her something was not right. Dean seemed on edge and Sam looked troubled, not to mention the tension between them. Emmy didn't ask what was going on, knowing she wasn't going to get a straight answer. She just hoped that they would sort things out before they came back.

The strange feeling she had only intensified when two days later she got the weirdest call ever from her brothers.

 _"_ _Emmy, sweetheart, I hope you're gonna forgive us for this one day."_

Emmy frowned. "Dean, are you crying? What's wrong?"

Her brother was breathing heavily and she even picked up Sam's voice in the background. She couldn't make out what he was saying, although it sounded like he was trying to talk Dean out of something.

"You guys are scaring me, what's going on?" she demanded, not liking the silence.

There was a loud inhale followed by a long exhale. " _Emmy, you stay with Bobby, okay? Be a good girl for us and – "_

"Hey!" Emmy protested when someone snatched the phone from her hand.

Bobby pointed a warning finger at her. "Stay here," he told her sternly.

Emmy was confused as hell. She tried to follow him but her surrogate uncle had slammed the door in her face, ordering her to stay there. She didn't let the door stop her from getting the information she wanted, and pressed her ear against the wooden surface.

"Are you guys out of your damn mind!" She head Bobby shout. "Out of all the stupid things you've done before, this takes the cake! And you even have the nerve to call her, what's wrong with you two!? You better pull your asses out of this sticky situation you got yourselves in. And before you think of goin' on a suicide mission again, remember that I'm comin' for you two knuckleheads and kill you with my own bare hands. Don't make the same mistake your daddy made. I want you two here by Friday or there will be hell to pay!"

Emmy flinched at the sound of the phone being slammed against the table, leaving her more confused than she already was. But she sensed that if she wanted answers she had to wait until he cooled off. Whatever it is her brothers said or did, it pissed Bobby off. The last thing she heard was him muttering something.

 _"_ _Stupid idjits."_

 **SPN**

With the Impala parked by the side of the road, near a lake, the Winchester brothers leaned against a fence with a beer in their hands.

"So. Last night." The silence was comforting and nice but Sam couldn't bite his tongue any longer. "You want to tell me what the hell you were talking about?"

Dean never took his eyes off the river. "What do you mean?"

"What do I mean?" Sam scoffed. "I mean you said you were tired of the job. And that it wasn't just because of Dad."

Dean took a long draw from his beer. "Forget it."

"No, I can't. No way," Sam refused with persistence. "You basically almost told Emmy goodbye! Can you imagine what that would've done to her if it weren't for Bobby?"

"Come on man, I thought we were both going to die, you can't hold that over me," was Dean's weak response.

Sam turned to face his brother, forcing him to explain himself. "No, no, no, no. You can't pull that crap with me, man. You're talking."

Dean shot his brother a challenging glance. "And what if I don't?"

Sam clenched his teeth. If his brother wanted to go there, then he wasn't going to back out. "Then I guess I'll just have to keep asking until you do."

Dean got back to staring at the river. "I don't know, man. I just think maybe we ought to go to the Grand Canyon."

Sam was puzzled. "What?"

"Yeah, you know, all this driving back and forth across country, you know I've never been to the Grand Canyon? Or we could go to T.J. Or Hollywood, see if we can bang Lindsey Lohan. Or how about Disney Land? I know Emmy would love that."

"You're not making any sense!"

Unlike Sam, Dean remained calm. "I just think we should take a break from all this. Why do we gotta get stuck with all the responsibility, you know? Why can't we live life a little bit?"

Sam stared at his brother for a full ten seconds, trying to read him, trying to see through him. "Why are you saying all this?"

The oldest Winchester shook his head, starting to turn away.

"No, no, no, no, Dean." Sam ran after him, stopping him with a hand on his arm. "You're my brother, all right? So whatever weight you're carrying, let me help a little bit."

As Dean looked into Sam's eyes, he could see the hope and he was almost jealous. He wished he still had that sparkle of light inside of him, but he was afraid he has used it all.

"I can't. I promised."

"Who?" Sam wanted to know.

He swallowed hard. "Dad."

"What are you talking about?" Sam was slowly losing patience, his voice almost demanding.

Dean didn't have the guts to face his brother and looked down. "Right before Dad died, he told me something." He briefly closed his eyes, still debating if he should say it or not. He took a deep breath and mustered up all the courage he had left to look Sam in the eye. "He told me something about you … and Emmy."

Now Sam could no longer ignore the uneasiness inside of him, nearly making him sick from the anticipation. "What? Dean, what did he tell you?"

"He said that he wanted me to watch out for you two, to take care of you."

"He told you that a million times." This wasn't the entire truth, Sam just knew, he felt it and he would be lying if he said that for a moment he wondered if he really wanted to know. What if it were better to stop Dean right there and never let him finish. What if it were better to just walk away and pretend this never happened. But Sam couldn't ignore how much this bothered Dean, he had to help his brother carry this burden.

"No, this time was different." Dean could barely speak the next words, they were right there on the tip of his tongue, he could practically taste them. He had to fight the urge of just swallowing them down. "He said that I had to save you."

Sam's lips opened but no sound came out. His tongue wetted his lips before he tried again, "Save me from what?"

"He just said that I had to save you, that nothing else mattered – and that if I couldn't, I'd …"

"You'd what, Dean?" Sam pressed on.

Dean looked away, he couldn't bare seeing the hurt and fear wash over his brother's face. "That I'd have to kill you. He said that I might have to kill you, Sammy."

"Kill me?" Sam repeated with pure indignation lacing his tone. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

 _O, how I wish I knew,_ Dean thought. "I don't know."

"I mean, he must have had some kind of reason for saying it, right?" Sam started pacing with his hands in his hair. "Did he know the demon's plans for me? Am I supposed to go Darkside or something? What else did he say, Dean?"

"Nothing, that's it, I swear." Dean's eyes flickered to his brother, his throat constricting at seeing his brother so lost and desperate for answers he didn't have.

"How could you not have told me this?" Sam's eyes glistened with tears of hurt.

"Because it was Dad, and he begged me not to." Dean found it difficult to swallow, his own eyes watering. He couldn't stand that look, the one that said he let his own brother down. How is it that he tried his damn hardest to please and protect his siblings, but at the end of the day he was the one hurting them, leaving him to pick up the pieces.

"Who cares!" Sam shouted, clearly past the hurt, he was angry now. "Take some responsibility for yourself, Dean! You had no right to keep this from me!"

"You think I wanted this? Huh?" Dean got back in his face. His brother needed to know that for once, he played no part in this, he was the good one here. If Sam wanted to be mad at someone then it was too late, because their old man was already gone. "I wish to God he'd never opened his mouth. Then I wouldn't have to walk around with this screaming in my head all day."

Sam's nostrils flared, he was fuming. He took a few steps away, he had to process all of this. After several minutes, he returned with his balled fists in his pockets. "What about Emmy?" He was almost too scared to ask.

Dean looked up from the ground. "I … look maybe you shouldn't – you already have a lot to take in – "

"No," Sam cut him off with a set jaw. "No more secrets, Dean. Just tell me."

Dean held his brother's eyes, mentally asking if he was sure. But Sam didn't back down and Dean sighed, running a hand down his face. He suddenly started walking towards the Impala and opened the trunk. Sam watched as he took his duffel, taking out a pair of socks. Sam was momentarily confused until his brother took out a folded piece of paper hidden in one of the socks.

Dean walked back to Sam. He looked down at the piece of paper, contemplating his next decision, should he give him this? Once Sam knew what was written inside of it there was no turning back. After what felt like an eternity he reluctantly gave the folded sheet of paper to Sam. Dean decided that he should no longer carry all that weight around. Despite what he used to think, he couldn't handle the burden. It was too much, maybe his brother could help.

Sam unfolded the piece of paper slowly, bracing himself. He shot his brother a look and Dean nodded, prompting him to read it.

Sam took a deep breath and let his eyes go over the words. The first thing he read was the name of the hospital they were admitted to, the same where they lost their father. Dean watched his brother mutter under his breath as he read quietly to himself. He looked away when Sam's face fell, his eyes widened in shock.

"Oh god," Sam breathed out. "Please tell me this is some sick joke." Dean didn't answer. "No, no, no," Sam shook his head repeatedly, refusing to believe the words he had just read.

Dean was quiet as he spoke. "Dad told me he always had a feeling, he just never wanted to take the test."

"Is this real? Is it legit?" Sam held up the paper. "I mean did they double check?"

"It's right there Sammy, black on white, their DNA's don't match, not even a percent."

Sam felt like someone stomped on his heart over and over again. He leaned against the car, suddenly feeling lightheaded. He felt like a bomb fell on him, shaking him to the core. The Impala dipped when Dean sat next to him.

"Now you know why I couldn't look at her when Dad died. Every time I saw her I just saw Mom … but nothing of him. When I looked at her I got reminded of the lie we had to live with, of how she wasn't our sister but … " Dean could barely say the word, " _half_ sister."

"It suddenly makes so much sense," Sam said softly.

"Yeah," Dean sighed.

"I can't believe Mom – " Sam couldn't finish the sentence. He couldn't even think of his mother with another man but his father. To think that some strange guy was his sister's biological father made him sick all over again.

"Yeah, me neither, …" Dean sighed again.

"Do they know who her real – you know – is?" Sam asked.

Dean shook his head. "I don't think I wanna know."

"I hate the thought of her not being a Winchester."

Dean bumped his shoulder against his brother's. "She's a Winchester no matter what. She was raised by Winchesters, loved by Winchesters, no one deserves the name more than her. "

Sam hid his head in his hands. "Should we tell her?"

"No," was Dean's quick response. "That girl already had a shitload of crap in her life, she don't need more. How do you think she will feel when she finds out the man she'd been calling Daddy isn't even her real Dad?"

"We can't keep this from her forever, Dean," Sam said, even though he wished they could erase the information from their minds, permanently. But he knew that nothing came good from keeping secrets, they get revealed whether they liked it or not and when it does come out, it strikes back ten times harder. They didn't need proof, they had just witnessed it.

"We can try," he suggested with clenched jaw. Truth was that Dean would rather die than ever letting Emmy find out.

Sam nodded, knowing nothing could change his brother's mind. "We can also try figure out what's going on, then, what the hell all this means."

"I've been thinking about this, I think we should just lay low. You know? At least for a while. It'd be safer. And that way I can make sure —"

"What?" Sam asked when Dean stopped midsentence, unable to find the right words. "That I don't turn evil? That I don't turn into some kind of killer?"

"I never said that," he snapped.

"Jeez, if you're not careful you will have to waste me one day, Dean," Sam shot back bitterly.

"I never said that!" Dean argued. "Damnit, Sam, this whole thing is spinning out of control. All right? You're immune to some weirdo demon virus, we just found out Dad's not Emmy's real father, and I don't even know what the hell anymore. And you're pissed at me, I get it. That's fine, I deserve it. But we lay low until we figure out our next move, okay?"

Sam tried to understand his brother, see this from his point of view, but he couldn't, at least not yet. The wound was just too fresh and he had a lot to process. "Forget it."

Dean let out a tired breath, his voice calmer. "Sam, please, man. Just give me some time. Give me some time to think, okay? I'm begging you here, please. _Please_."

Sam nodded reluctantly since that seemed to be the only thing he could do to appease his brother at that moment.

 ** _A/N:_** **Hey my beautiful people! First I wanna wish you all a HAPPY (belated) NEW YEAR! I hope all your wishes come true and that your 2016 will be filled with nothing but happiness, love and fun :D**

 **Okay, so I don't know if you saw this big reveal coming. I just wanna say that I've been waiting two years to write about this big secret. TWO YEARS! When I first came up with the idea of writing a sisfic, I instantly thought of the twist and I couldn't wait to get far enough to actually write it. So I'm kinda proud of myself for getting to this part, I never thought I'd get this far and I never thought I'd have you wonderful readers supporting me 3**

 **Please,** ** _please_** **(I'm begging here like Dean), review. I'm dying to know what you guys thought of this. So don't forget to write something real quick after reading this AN.**

 **Thank you, love you, XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX!**


	11. Hunted

**Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural, I only own my OC Mary-Elisabeth "Emmy" Winchester.**

 _"_ _I'm Popeye the Sailor Man! I'm Popeye the Sailor Man! I'm strong to the finich, 'cause I eats me spinach. I'm Popeye the Sailor Man!"_

The light of the television screen reflected on Bobby's rugged face as he absently stroked Emmy's hair. The bearded man felt her weight lean against his arm from where they were both sitting in the couch watching cartoons while they waited on Sam and Dean. The ten year old was slowly losing battle against sleep, her blonde head constantly nodding off. Bobby lifted his hand from her hair, thinking she'd already fell asleep when she grunted and put his hand back to her hair.

Letting out a throaty chuckle, he nudged her gently. "Why don't ya go hit the hay, I'll call you when your brothers are here."

Emmy snuggled closer to him, forcing her eyes to open and squinted a little from the flashing light of the television. "I'm not tired, I was just resting my eyes."

Bobby snorted. "'f course."

Rubbing her eyes, Emmy yawned for the umpteenth time. She checked her phone and realized it was almost midnight. After the strange call she got earlier that day, she hadn't heard from her brothers since. She only received a text some hours later telling her they would be back by midnight. Emmy couldn't wait to see them so she could fire her questions and hopefully she'll get some damn answers. Every time she asked her surrogate uncle, he avoided the subject and told her that her brothers were fine and that she shouldn't be worried. But instead of finding peace with his words, it did the opposite. If no one wanted to tell her what was going on, then something was _definitely_ on.

Bobby swore he hadn't even heard the rumble of the Impala and Emmy had already flown out of his lap. Opening the front door, the pajama clad girl stood patiently waiting for her brothers, shivering from the cold night air. She rubbed her bare arms and shifted on her socked feet. Dean had just pulled up between Bobby's truck and a black pick up before he and Sam got out of the car. They left the trunk to unload later and walked over to her. Emmy couldn't help but check them over, searching for signs of blood or bruises. It was dark outside so it made it a little harder for her to inspect them but from what she could see they looked alright … or were they?

Dean shot his sister one of his trademark smiles he only reserved for her. As soon as he had reached her, he spread his arms, catching her as she jumped into his embrace. He hugged her close, burying his face in her hair, taking in her sweet smell that somehow always calmed him down.

He felt her shiver in his arms and carried her inside, closing the door with his foot. Sam was standing behind him, a pained expression on his face as his eyes were fixed on the back of Emmy's head. Dean noticed and gave his brother a look but Sam couldn't, he couldn't face his sister without wanting to break down. His jaw clenched as he had to restrain the tears pooling in his eyes. Now he understood why Dean couldn't look at her when he found out. He didn't know what hurt more, the fact that he couldn't see any resemblance with his father, confirming that she was only his _half-sister_. Or the fact that when he would look into her eyes, he'd see a girl that didn't know what he knew.

Dean sighed when he watched his brother turn around to climb up the stairs. Sam didn't want to make the same mistake his brother made, he didn't want to push his sister away and ignore her. He just needed time and space. He had so much to take in, and the ride back to South Dakota didn't grant him what he needed to process all of that. He was conflicted with his thought and emotions, there was too much going on in his head and he didn't want Emmy to see that.

"Where's Sammy?" Emmy suddenly wondered as she looked around.

"Uh, bathroom," Dean quickly made up on spot, not wanting her to pick up on the big elephant in the room. Emmy didn't look like she was entirely convinced. Dean jostled her a little in his arms, trying to get her attention back. "So did you miss me?"

"You? Not at all," was her cheeky response as she wrapped her arms around his neck, leaning back a little.

Dean cocked a perfectly sculpted eyebrow at her in disbelief. "Not even a second?"

"Nope," she snickered while he carried her to the living room.

Dean pretended to wipe away a tear. "That hurt."

Emmy grabbed his cheeks, squeezing them a little. "Aw, I was just kidding! Of course I missed you, you silly!"

"Nope, it's too late. Can't fix the damage," he said with a sniff.

"Not even with some M&M's?"

Dean squinted his eyes at her in thought. "And a kiss?"

Emmy nodded. "Deal!" She leaned forward and gave him a big, smacking kiss. "Voila!"

Dean smirked. "I don't think M&M's are needed anymore, your kiss fixed the damage."

"Does that mean I don't have to share them anymore?" she asked, tilting her head to the side.

"I didn't say that, no one's allowed to eat M&M's without giving me some." Dean lowered himself on the worn couch next to Bobby, pulling his sister into his lap.

"Don't I know it," Emmy laughed, leaning against his chest.

"I hope you were good to Bobby," he told her knowingly before addressing the older man. "She wasn't too much of a trouble, was she?"

Bobby took a draw off his beer. "Other than sneaking Rumsfeld into her bedroom every night, knocking over the antenna with a basketball and nearly burning down my kitchen because someone forgot about the pizza in the oven – no, no trouble at all, she was just an angel," he said with a fake smile and Emmy couldn't help but giggle.

She shrieked when he pinched her thigh and tucked her legs against her chest, using her brother's arms to shield her. Bobby shook his head at her but she still caught the corners of his lips twitching in a smile. Emmy wrapped one arm around her brother's neck, leaning against him with a sigh of contentment.

"Where's your brother?" Bobby suddenly asked.

Dean didn't look up from combing his fingers through his sister's soft strands of hair and replied, "Upstairs."

Bobby instantly noticed the short tone. It didn't take rocket science to figure out something was up between those two _idjits_. He cleared his throat, forcing Dean to look at him. That was enough for the older Winchester to tell him that now was not the right time. Bobby simply nodded, catching the hint.

Emmy, whose attention was back on the television, hadn't witnessed the wordless exchange. She rested her head against her brother's shoulder, the tips of her fingers softly grazing his stubble. Dean recognized the familiar gesture from all the times she would sit in their father's lap – _my father's lap_ , he corrected himself – with her hand on John's cheek and chin, absently scratching the prickly skin. Dean briefly closed his eyes, he didn't know why that memory suddenly struck him so hard. Maybe because thinking of his father always brought up unwanted emotions, or maybe it was because of the visual thought of seeing his cutie pie with the man she knew as her _daddy_ , a man she didn't even share the same blood with.

Dean noticed her dozing off after several minutes and pressed his lips against her temple. He swore to himself that he was going to protect this little girl in his arms till his last breath. He would go to hell and back for her. She'd have anything her little heart desired. Dean wanted to make her feel wanted and loved, so that if one day she does discover she isn't John Winchester's daughter, she'll remember that they have never treated her any differently. No matter what, she will always be the daughter and sister they loved more than life itself. And nothing, not even a piece of paper, was going to change that.

 **SPN**

After tossing and turning for hours and hours, Sam gave up on sleep and jumped out of bed. He couldn't shut his eyes without seeing his father in front of him, his mother, his baby sister – his mind was like a ticking bomb. Then there were his brother's words circulating around in his head, making him mad. He had to do something, he had to know what Azazel's plans were with him and what his father meant exactly. What if he would turn dark, what about those other people like him, what is going to happen to them? Sam couldn't stand all these questions and mysteries, he needed answers. Only he couldn't wait anymore, he'd done that enough, it was time for action. If he didn't get any answers, he would go after them himself.

Sam got dressed and quietly closed his bedroom door behind him. The house was quiet, signaling him that everyone was asleep. He took silent steps to the stairs when his eyes caught Emmy's door left ajar. He debated his next move but decided to see her real quick. As he walked in, Rumsfeld instantly picked up his head at the intruder but soon went back to sleeping when he noticed the familiar face. Sam tiptoed to his sister's bed and got on his knees. Emmy looked so peaceful and innocent when she slept. He could watch her sleep for hours. There was just something so ataractic about it, it brought peace to his mind.

He let his eyes roam over her heart shaped face, so serene, so beautiful. Those long eyelashes caressing her cheeks, those freckles on the bridge of her button nose, those full pouty lips, those dazzling eyes, that golden hair … There was no doubt she was their mother's daughter, that was for sure. Sam searched for a trait, a small something that would prove to him that John was her father but he was unable to find anything. Even on the inside they were two different persons. Where John was impatient, impulsive and rough, Emmy's patience had no limits, and she was thoughtful and soft. They were each other's opposite, and it was so obvious that it hurt Sam more. He couldn't bear the thought of his baby sister carrying some other man's DNA. Sam couldn't deny that he appreciated the fact that Emmy was a carbon copy of their mother. It would've killed him if he had to look at someone who resembled a stranger, luckily Mary's genes must've been more dominant.

Sam still couldn't wrap his mind around the image of his mother and some _dude –_ god, he didn't know if he wanted to throw up or bash the guy's face in. But there was a feeling in his guts, telling him that something more was up. He was only twelve when he lost his mother but those years were enough to know his mother like the back of his hand. And if there is one thing he knew about her, it's that Mary loved her family to death. She was devoted to her husband and children, she was loyal and faithful. Never would she betray her family like that, there had to be a reasonable explanation to her actions.

Again, Sam felt that nagging feeling, frustration bubbling inside of him. The cause being the lack of clarity and knowledge, he hated being in the dark. He stroked his baby sister's hair, his thumb brushing her eyebrows.

"I'm going to find answers. I promise," he whispered. He leaned forward and planted a lingering kiss on her forehead.

"S'mmy?" Emmy stirred, her voice slurred and barely audible.

"Shhh," he ran his fingers through her hair, knowing that it always helped to put her back to sleep. Not more than two seconds later, her breathing evened out, her face looking calm. Sam retreated his hand slowly before standing up. He looked down at her, reminding himself why he was doing this. He traced her cheekbone with the tip of his finger before sighing and turning to leave.

 **SPN**

Once Emmy made sure all the ingredients were in the bowl, she pushed her sleeves up and started mixing the batter thoroughly. She was going to make the best chocolate chip pancakes in the world for breakfast. She remembered her brothers telling her this story about their mother making pancakes every Sunday morning. And even though it wasn't Sunday, it didn't stop Emmy from pampering her brothers, they would definitely appreciate it and god knows they deserved it.

Rumsfeld was patiently waiting at her feet, watching the whisk go round and round. His tongue was sticking out and his mouth watered. Once Emmy was done, she kneeled next to him with the whisk in her hand. She was about to let him lick it clean when someone snatched it from her hand.

"Emmy, what did I just tell you?" Bobby confronted with a sigh, throwing the utensil in the sink.

"Sorry," she apologized sheepishly. She then put her lips near the dog's ear and whispered, "Don't worry, I'll let you lick the bowl."

"I heard that," Bobby grumbled behind his paper.

Emmy huffed in disbelief. "How is that even possible?"

"Cuz I got the hearing of a bat, that's why."

"But you're like … _old_. Old people don't hear that well anymore," she said innocently but she couldn't conceal the teasing tone lacing her voice.

Bobby dropped the paper and pointed a warning finger at her. "You better watch out, little girl."

Emmy couldn't help but smirk. "Or what? You gonna come after me?" she taunted playfully. "I don't think a man of your age should exert himself, you could pull something."

The bearded man narrowed his eyes. "If I were you, I would go wake up those brothers of yours before I whoop your tiny little ass."

Giggling, Emmy ran towards the stairs, barely missing the light swat on her bottom. She turned around to stick her tongue out at him. "Ha, you missed me!"

Bobby's chair scraped against the linoleum kitchen floor as he moved to stand up. Emmy's eyes widened and she shrieked, scuttling away. Bobby watched as she disappeared out of sight, he could still hear her laughter echoing through his house as he sat back on his chair.

"Little rascal," he muttered under his breath with a fond smile.

 **SPN**

Emmy skipped to her brother's room, knocking gently. "Sammy?" When she got no reply she opened the door a little and stuck her head inside. Sam's bed was left unmade and as she looked around she couldn't spot him anywhere. She frowned but figured that maybe he was in the bathroom or went for a run. She closed the door and walked over to Dean's.

"Dean?" she knocked, hearing him making a deep, low sound in the back of his throat. She pushed the door open and found him lying on his stomach with his arms tucked under his pillow.

"D _eeeeeean_ ," she sang as she plopped down on his bed.

"Wha'?" he mumbled sleepily with his eyes still shut.

A small smile played on Emmy's lips as she watched her brother, he looked so much younger and funnier when he was asleep. "Wakey, wakey, eggs and bakey," she sang as she absently traced some random figures on his bare back. "Well actually there's no eggs or bacon, but I made pancakes though."

"Mmm," was Dean's only reply.

"Did you not hear me?" Emmy leaned forward and whispered, " _Pancakes_."

Dean turned on his back and pulled her to lay down next to him. "Five more minutes," he muttered against her hair.

Emmy let out an annoyed sigh but decided to give in. They always let her sleep in, too, it would only be fair if she returned the favor once in a while. She just didn't like being up alone, but five minutes couldn't hurt. Dean's even breath was warm against her neck, his arm heavy around her waist. She picked at her nails in boredom waiting for those three hundred seconds to be over. A calloused hand suddenly pulled her fingers away from her teeth.

"Stop that," Dean admonished lightly, his voice thick with sleep.

"Five minutes are over now," she told him, turning on her side to face him.

"Since when do five minutes last 43 seconds?"

Emmy raised her eyebrows. "You been counting?"

"Mhmm," he hummed, still not opening his eyes. "So pancakes huh?"

"Yup!" she exclaimed a little too loudly.

"Oh, I'm up now," Dean groaned, running a tired hand down his face.

Emmy watched as he yawned, rubbing his eyes. "You know where Sammy is?"

Dean instantly snapped his eyes open. "What do you mean, he's not in his room? What time is it anyway?" he asked, already reaching for his phone. "Half past nine. Maybe he's up yet."

"Uncle Bobby and I haven't seen him. I bet he went for a run, Sammy does useless stuff like that."

"Yeah maybe," he said quietly but didn't sound convinced. He got out of bed and quickly put on some jeans and t-shirt while Emmy jumped on his bed.

"Can we go to the park after lunch? Uncle Bobby and I found this bike at the Salvage Yard yesterday and he got me some new tires but I wanna test them out."

"Sure," he replied distractedly as he speed dialed Sam, pressing the phone between his shoulder and cheek while he put his belt on. "C'mon Sammy," he muttered under his breath.

"Is he not picking up?" Emmy asked, still jumping up and down, the bed creaking under her weight.

Dean didn't answer and tried another phone number but still got no reply, it constantly went straight to voicemail.

Emmy picked up on the worry lines marring her brother's forehead and stopped bouncing. "Is everything okay?"

She followed her brother's moves as he stepped towards the window. Dean pushed the curtains aside, instantly taking note of the Impala and Bobby's truck but he could've sworn that last night he parked his car right between Bobby's and another black pickup. But the latter was nowhere in sight.

"Sonuvabitch," he cursed.

Emmy jumped off the bed, closing the distance between her and her brother. She pulled at his hand, demanding his attention. "What's wrong? Is it Sammy? Did something happen?"

Dean crouched in front of her, his hands on her waist. "Sweetheart, last night, did you see Sam?"

The little blonde shook her head, loose strands of hair cupping her face. "No, he just went straight upstairs and I fell asleep on the couch with you, remember? When I woke up I was in my bed."

"Yeah, I'm the one who carried you up to your room, but after that, did you see him?"

"I-I think he came to me when I was asleep," she said, unsure of what she really heard or saw that night. But she could've sworn he was there by her bed.

"Did he say anything?" Dean asked with urgency.

"No, I don't think so, I mean I don't know. Dean, what is this about?" she wanted to know.

"Dammit," he muttered under his breath.

His brother left, he should've known after what he had revealed to him. Sam was too curious and determined for his own good, he could never leave something the way it was, he had to spring into action to find the answers. After all these years, Dean was disappointed in himself for not having predicted this. Sam was like their father, he was impetuous and hasty which meant that he often tended to act without thinking. Hence why Dean had to find his brother before he'd make stupid mistakes he'd regret later.

"Dean!" Emmy stomped her foot, fed up with the lack of response. "What is it?"

"Sam's gone," he told her with a tight voice.

 **SPN**

The next two days were nothing more than phone calls to every hunter they've known or worked with, asking about Sam's whereabouts. None of them seemed to have seen or heard from the stubborn Winchester and it was driving Dean mad. He lasted longer than he had wanted before he lost his shit. He couldn't sit one more minute in that house with his brother AWOL, doing god knows what, being in god knows where. Every passing second, Dean thought of the things that could've happened to his baby brother, how he could've been in danger while he was twirling his thumbs.

Sam wouldn't just leave like that without a single word or trace. Dean couldn't help but think of the times his brother disappeared on him. The first time he left, was to Stanford and he didn't come back for years. Second time he tried to find their father on his own but instead he came across Meg a.k.a. the black eyed bitch. And the third time he deliberately left was right after Dean told him about what his father said. Somehow these departures of Sam never ended well, another reason why Dean decided to take matters into his own hands. If his brother wasn't going to tell him where he was or if he wasn't coming back than _he_ will bring him back.

Emmy was perched on Bobby's desk, near the phones, swinging her feet back and forth. She listened intently to the one sided conversation her uncle had with some hunter. But she quickly realized after several sentences that they got zilch. Her shoulders sagged in disappointment, she had hoped after these nerve-wracking days _someone_ would have a lead on Sam. She looked up when Dean suddenly stormed outside in a hurry. She jumped of the desk and quickly followed her brother.

"Where are you going?" she asked as the screen doors closed behind her.

Dean was doing a quick inventory on the ammunition and weapons in the trunk of the Impala. "Going after Sam."

"Wait, you're leaving?" she walked down the steps, ignoring Rumsfeld nudging her with his snout demanding attention from her. "I'm coming with you."

Dean closed the trunk, giving her a firm look. "No."

"That wasn't a question, it was a statement and I'm coming with you whether you want it or not," she concluded with determination.

"And I don't care cuz the answer is still no."

"That's not fair! He's my brother too, and I am going!"

Dean watched as she crossed her arms over her chest, her face set in conviction. She wasn't going to back down and the attitude alone reminded him of their brother. But that boldness was what had led his brother into many sticky situations and that wasn't something he wanted for his sister.

Dean lowered his face until they were eye to eye. " _No_."

Emmy let out an aggravated sound and had they been in different circumstances, Dean would have laughed because of the cuteness. But he couldn't falter and risk giving her a chance to defy him so he dealt with it in the _un_ Winchester way – he turned his back on his problem. He could hear his sister huff in irritation as he walked back inside.

"What's goin' on?" Bobby asked, instantly picking up on the oldest Winchester's rush.

"Looking for my runaway brother," he replied with a sharp edge to his tone. It was clear that Dean had it up here with Sam's radio silence. How could he not imagine how worried they were about him right now? "I need to run some errands first and – "

Dean stopped midsentence when he heard a door slam hard upstairs. He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose for a few seconds.

"You're leavin' her here," Bobby's stated.

"Yeah," Dean responded reluctantly, not a fan of being away from her either. They just got back and the last thing he wanted was to miss that pretty face again. "I mean if that's alright with you of course, I know she can be a pain but you don't have to – "

"Boy, shut your mouth," Bobby grumbled, tugging at his hat. "I'll take care of her, just promise me you'll be careful. Just don't get yourself killed."

Dean nodded and shot a last look at the stairs. He contemplated going upstairs and at least say goodbye. But he didn't get the chance to ponder too much on that thought when someone else beat him to the punch.

"Don't worry about her, she'll cool off," Bobby patted his shoulder.

Dean thanked the old man, hesitating a little before leaving.

 **SPN**

" _I'm sorry, but we got bupkis."_

"Yeah, no it's alright. Thanks," Dean answered through gritted teeth before throwing his phone next to him on the front seat. That was the eleventh phone call he received from hunters and acquaintances but none of them had useful information about his brother.

Dean propped his elbow through the window, running a frustrated hand through his hair while he used his other hand to steer the wheel. He was only on the road for merely thirty minutes and he didn't want to panic right away but you couldn't blame him for thinking the worst.

His family was doomed, cursed, condemned – call it whatever you wanted, there was no other explanation. It was almost as if God wanted to punish them for all the sins they committed. And yes, Dean knew they weren't really living like saints – all those credit scams, stealing, lying, illegal impersonation, and in his case there was also drinking, messing around with the female population and the list goes on. But Dean figured that their good hearts must count for something. He risked his own life every day in order to save others' and didn't expect anything in return, not money, not recognition, not even a single thank you. Now, what kind of a bad person would do such thing? Surely God must cut him some slack for protecting the human race? If he did, Dean never saw any signs, in his eyes God just hated his guts.

A muffled sound coming from the back interrupted his train of thoughts. Dean leaned over to lower the volume of the radio to listen. He was about to glance over the front seat when his phone went off.

Throwing one look at the caller-id, he answered. "Yeah Bobby."

" _Emmy's not in her room,_ " was Bobby's instant reply.

Dean sat up straighter in his seat. "You checked the house?"

 _"_ _I checked every damn room, the Salvage Yard, I even sent Rumsfeld to fetch her but nothin'._ "

"Goddammit," Dean cursed, pulling up at the side of the road.

 _Now_ would be the perfect time to panic. His heart could barely take the disappearance of one sibling, two of them was going to kill him. He briefly closed his eyes, breathing in and out, trying to compose himself when he heard something coming from the back again. He adjusted his rearview mirror and clenched his jaw when he noticed a blonde mop of hair.

" _Dean? You still there?"_ Bobby's static voice sounded from the other end.

"Yeah, I'm right here," Dean cleared his throat. "And so is she."

There was a silent pause until he heard the old man chuckle in understanding. " _Tell her Rumsfeld's already missin' her."_

"Call me if you hear anything from Sam," Dean said before ending the call. He let out a long breath, leaning back against his seat. He rubbed his lips with his fingers, waiting for his sister to give up. After several seconds, when he made sure he was over the initial shock and his heart was beating steadily again, he spoke up, "Emmy, I know you're back there."

It took another full minute before she finally showed herself, slowly getting up into the backseat. Emmy chewed on her bottom lip, not really sure what to say or where to look.

Dean took in her nervous posture, her wringing hands, her teeth pulling at the skin of her lips, her eyes flickering to meet his only to look away as soon as she got confronted with his blazing green eyes.

He patted the space next to him. "C'mere."

Without meeting his gaze, she shook her head. "I'm okay back here."

"It wasn't a proposition, get your little ass here," he repeated more firmly.

Emmy gathered her courage to look at her brother. He looked calm … on the outside. She was sure that he was fuming on the inside. _The calm before the storm,_ she thought to herself. She swallowed hard before crawling over the seat and pressing herself against the passenger side's door.

She fixed her eyes on the glove compartment as she felt his eyes roaming over her. It didn't happen often that Dean would be mad at her. In her defense, she rarely ever did anything to anger him and when she did her pout and puppy dog eyes always got her out of trouble. But that didn't seem to be an option now, she couldn't even look back at him.

Dean lifted his hand, reaching for her but she flinched, jerking away. He let his hand hover in the air between them. His eyes searched hers, a myriad of blue shades swirled together, reminding him once again of someone she didn't inherit those eyes from.

"I'm not gonna hurt you, sweetheart."

Emmy wanted to beat herself up for even thinking that, even if it only crossed her mind for a second. "I know that."

"You alright?" he suddenly asked.

The question threw her off, making her stare back at him in pure question. "What?"

Dean picked up his hand, gingerly grabbing her by the elbow. She didn't recline from his touch but he couldn't ignore how she tensed for a second. He gently turned her arm, his thumb brushing a fresh bruise. Emmy winced, now understanding his concern. She had a forming bruise on the back of her upper arm.

"I know I have a lead foot, and I tend to hit the brake hard."

Emmy couldn't believe her brother, he never ceased to amaze her sometimes. She sneaked into the car after he had given her a direct order and yet she disobeyed him. He then almost got a heart attack after Bobby's phone call, only to catch her red-handed and he was worried his reckless driving had hurt her? Guilty didn't even come close to how she was feeling right now.

"I'm sorry," were the only words coming out of her mouth.

"Does it hurt?" he asked, prodding at the red skin.

Emmy wrenched her arm out of his hold. "Who cares about my arm, I said I was _sorry_."

"I heard you," he said calmly.

Emmy waited for more but got nothing. Where was the lecture, where was the disappointment, the yelling and pointing finger?

"Why aren't you mad?" she couldn't help but ask.

Dean briefly closed his eyes. "I can't."

"Why?"

He rubbed his forehead, trying to smooth down those worry lines, which were becoming permanent if his family wouldn't stop scaring the crap out of him all the time.

"Because you did the exact same thing we would've done," he answered.

"So … you're not mad?" she asked, feeling the need to make sure. His calmness was disturbing her.

"I'm not mad at you for wanting to find our brother, but I am mad for getting yourself hurt," he said matter-of-factly. "What were you even thinking? Hiding in the backseat like I wouldn't notice?"

"Lemme get this straight, I sneaked into the car after you clearly ordered me to get back inside, and the only reason you're mad is because I could've gotten hurt?"

Dean rolled his eyes. "So not the point."

"Uh yes it is," she scoffed.

Dean started the ignition and got back on the road. "Don't count yourself lucky just yet, I'll think of something."

"Fine, you can take my Nintendo or phone or even my rollerskates."

Dean snorted. "Yeah, lemme be the judge of that."

Emmy kicked her shoes off to tuck her knees under her chin. "So what's up between you and Sammy?"

"What do you mean?"

"You guys have been acting off since you left to Oregon."

"I already told you about the visions," Dean said, clearly holding something back.

Emmy rolled her eyes. "I'm not stupid, Dean. I know there's more."

He took a deep breath before letting the air out. "Sam had a vision of me … killing someone."

"Did you?" she asked with trepidation.

Her brother swallowed hard before answering. "I almost did – but no, I didn't kill him." Dean proceeded to explain about the virus and how the whole town was infected. He told her about Sam catching the virus and how he seemed to be immune. He intentionally left out the part where he almost resigned himself to dying.

"So that's why you guys sounded weird on the phone?"

Dean nodded, his eyes never leaving the road. Emmy took in her brother's silence and looked at him, searching something.

"What?" Dean asked, suddenly feeling a little uneasy as she seemed to look right through him.

"You're not telling me everything, there's more."

Dean's lips moved but he was unable to get the right words out so he settled with, "It's nothing for you to worry about, sweetheart."

Emmy turned in her seat, forcing him to talk. "Last time you said that, Dad died."

 _Touché,_ Dean thought. He sucked his teeth, contemplating his next words. He had to think of the consequences of revealing what he had kept secret for almost a year. Deep down his biggest wish still was to keep it from her forever if he could, but he had learned his lesson. He'll never forget how they had tried to keep her out of the supernatural life until the monsters had come to find her, literally.

"Before Dad died, he said something about Sam," Dean started, taking his sister's silence as a sign for him to continue. "He told me that I had to save him and if – "

"If what?" Emmy pushed when he trailed.

"If I couldn't, I'd have to k-kill him."

" _Kill_ him?" she repeated with shock and fear lacing her voice. Emmy looked down at her trembling hands, why would her father say something like that? What kinda man wanted his own son to kill his brother? Why would Sam even need to be killed in the first place?

Dean's large hand covered her small ones, engulfing them in his. "Emmy listen to me, I am _not_ gonna kill Sam, alright? Did you hear me?"

"B-but, I don't understand," she stammered with glistening eyes. "Why? I mean what is gonna happen to Sammy?"

"I don't know sweetheart, but don't worry about it. We got this, and whatever's gonna happen, we'll never let it get that far, okay?"

Emmy let out a shaky breath, her eyes watering. "I don't want Sammy to die," she cried.

Dean released her hand only to pull her against him with his arm around her. "Sammy's not gonna die, baby," he reassured her with a firm squeeze. "And I will _not_ kill him, not even when hell freezes over."

She sniffed, using her sleeve to wipe her nose. "Promise."

"I promise," Dean said without missing a beat. He leaned down to kiss the top of her head.

"What else did Dad say?"

Dean focused back on the road, his throat closing up. "That's all," he lied through his teeth.

He knew that nothing ever good came from keeping secrets, they always reveal themselves in the worst way. But that still wasn't enough to convince him, he just couldn't bring himself to tell her, he couldn't break her fragile heart. If Dean had it his way she would never find out.

 **SPN**

Dean didn't know where he was going or in what direction, he didn't even have a destination. But driving aimlessly felt better than sitting at one place, hoping and waiting for a clue. At least he wasn't sitting still now, he was doing _something_ even if that something wasn't helping in any way.

His eyes briefly left the road to cast a look at his sister. She had her hands clasped in her lap, her lips mumbling something he couldn't hear and her eyes pinched closed.

Dean's brow furrowed. "What are you doing?"

She didn't answer him right away but simply held up a finger, the universal sign of hold on. "I'm praying," she replied once she was done.

"Praying?" her brother repeated with a hint of skepticism.

"God is everywhere, so pray anywhere."

"You sound like Pastor Jim." Dean lifted a single eyebrow. "So what are you praying for?"

"For Sammy," she answered as she absently pulled at her earlobe, her fingers brushing against her earring.

At that moment Dean had a déjà vu, the simple gesture was so familiar he had to swallow down the growing lump. He cleared his throat, trying to rid of the image of his mother and asked what she asked God.

"That wherever Sammy is, He'll protect him. And that He will give us a sign of where he is." She turned to her brother with a meaningful look. "You should try it, too."

Dean chuckled dryly, his tongue wetting his bottom lip. "Yeah, I don't think so. I'm not the begging kinda type."

Emmy frowned. "Praying is not begging. Besides, God always listens and despite of what you think, he always answers. It's just when you least expect it, you gotta be patient Dean."

"You sound like Pastor Jim again."

"Whatever," she sighed, closing her eyes and getting back to praying. "It's better than driving aimlessly."

Dean couldn't for the life of him understand where she got that faith from. She never really had a religious upbringing and the environment she was raised in wasn't all that believing either. When he was younger he used to joke that maybe she wasn't a Winchester, but now the thought was more of a statement than a suspicion.

His cell phone suddenly rang and without even throwing a glance at the screen, he picked up.

"Hello?"

" _It's Ellen._ "

Emmy opened her eyes, intently listening at the conversation.

"Ellen, hey, have you heard from Sam?" Dean asked after putting it on speaker.

" _I have, but he made me promise not to tell you where he is."_

"Come on, Ellen, please. Something bad could be going on here, and I swore I'd look after that kid."

Emmy caught on the desperation lacing her brother's tone. He could fake it all he wanted, but she could see how worried he was.

 _"_ _Now Dean, they say you can't protect your loved ones forever," Ellen sighed. "Well, I say screw that. What else is family for? He's in Lafayette, Indiana."_

A smile spread over his face as Dean thanked her.

Emmy gave her brother a knowing look with a matching grin. "You should thank _me._ "

Dean couldn't help but smirk. "From now on you can pray for me since He seems to listen to you. Maybe next time you can ask for a double bacon cheeseburger served up by a nice, redheaded waitress with big round – "

"Ew, stop!" Emmy covered her ears. "You're disgusting."

"You don't even know what I was gonna say!" Dean defended himself, his eyes twinkling in mischief.

"Oh, I know," she said. "I just don't wanna hear it."

"Hey, I'm a man, alright. The male brain is designed to have a certain preference for women with bigger – "

"Dean, just shut up already!" Emmy casted her brother a look filled with disbelief and revulsion. "Sometimes I ask myself if we're even related."

And with that said, Dean's smirk dropped faster than light. He wouldn't admit it but her words got to him more than he let on.

"What?" Emmy wondered as her brother's mood suddenly switched.

"Nothing," Dean shrugged it off, plastering a fake cheery smile.

 **SPN**

It took Dean a little over a day to finally arrive at the address Ellen had given him. He pulled into the parking lot of the Blue Rose Motel and shut off the ignition. Emmy was asleep, snoring softly with her feet tucked under his thigh.

"Sweetheart, we're here," he woke her up softly, rubbing her calf.

"Mhmm," she moaned, stirring in her sleep.

Dean was about to shake her gently when he caught a silhouette through the curtaind of one of the motel rooms. The person turned around and came into view, causing Dean to sigh in pure relief.

"Oh, thank god you're okay."

Emmy rubbed at her eyes, forcing herself to sit up. She noticed her brother looking in her direction but not at her, he was staring at something behind her. She followed Dean's gaze and twisted in her seat. Her eyes widened at seeing Sam through the window.

"Dean! It's Sammy!" she exclaimed excitedly.

Sam moved aside, revealing a woman, a brunette. "Sam, you sly dog!" Dean chuckled.

Emmy however didn't find it amusing at all, she was fuming. "He got us worried sick for days just because he wanted to be with _her_? That's so not Sammy. You," she pointed at Dean, "that's something you would do, but Sammy? Ugh. Can I kick his ass?"

"First of all," Dean grabbed her arm, pulling her away from opening the door, "I'm offended. Second, you're not allowed to say ass, unless you like the taste of soap. And third, how about we ask him first before jumping to conclusions, huh?" he suggested.

"Fine," she huffed. She quickly ran her fingers through her hair, trying to tame the bangs, mumbling, "Oh, I am so giving him an ass-kick."

Dean pinched her arm.

"Ouch! What was that for?!" she uttered, trying to rub the sting away.

"Third time is a mouthwash," he warned her. Dean started to get out of the car when a gunshot suddenly stopped him dead in his tracks. "Emmy get down!" he shouted as he covered her up with his own body. He had heard something shatter and took the risk to sneak a peek to see what had happened. His face fell as he noticed the window of Sam's room was broken.

"Dean! What is going on?" Emmy wanted to know, managing to worm her way out of her brother's shield.

"Emmy stay in the car!" Dean ordered as he grabbed his gun.

"Wait, what happened?" she demanded, breathing hard. She looked outside and gasped when she saw the shattered window. But her eyes caught something else, something that made her blood boil. "Oh god," she gulped, "Dean, look."

Dean followed the direction of her pointing finger and cursed under his breath. "That sonuvabitch!" Across the street, on a rooftop was Gordon with a sniper rifle.

"Emmy lock the doors and under any circumstances, do _not_ get out of the car," he told her firmly, holding her gaze.

"But, what about –"

Dean held up his hand, shushing her. "No. You're staying here, take my phone and call Bobby if things go south."

Emmy accepted his mobile phone with hesitation. "Please be careful."

"I will if you promise me to stay in the car."

Blonde strands of hair flew around her face as she nodded. "Promise."

Dean grabbed her chin and pulled her forward to plant a rough kiss between her eyebrows before getting out. He pointed at the locks and told her to push them down. Emmy instantly went to lock every door, watching her brother sneak up on Gordon.

She couldn't see much from her position and it frustrated her to no end. At least there was no more shooting which must've meant that Dean had managed to stop Gordon. Oh how she hated that guy with every fiber of her body. Emmy noticed Sam and the girl emerging from their room. Sam was looking at the rooftop and was saying something to the girl. Emmy cursed Dean for parking the car behind a stupid bush. She slammed the palm of her hand on the window, trying to get her brother's attention, but Sam already turned the other way, heading to the rooftop.

Getting an idea, Emmy rolled down the window and prepared herself to call her brother when a hand covered her mouth. She looked up to see Gordon with a wicked smile plastered on his bruised face.

"Long time no see, Kitty Kat," he grinned with blood gushing from his lips, coloring his white teeth pink.

Emmy's blue eyes grew in alarm. She picked up her hands to pry his fingers from her mouth but Gordon took advantage of that and used his free arm to pull her out of the Impala. Emmy trashed in his hold, her instincts telling her to flee. Gordon dragged her to his rusty truck, his arm locked around her waist while his other hand never fell from her mouth … until she bit him. It was enough for Emmy to escape from his grip.

Even though her brothers spent weeks teaching her all about fighting, when it was time to actually use those techniques she suddenly forgot each one of them. Gordon's dark eyes narrowed like a predator going after his prey. He lurched his body forward and Emmy reacted on auto pilot, thrusting her elbow in his face. She was momentarily surprised of the move, especially when it seemed to have thrown Gordon back.

The man grabbed his nose, blood dripping from it. "You little punk!"

Emmy's lips twitched a little in a proud smile but the victory was short lived when Gordon grabbed her arm, pulling her towards himself roughly. Emmy used her heel to kick him in the knees, causing him to buckle to the ground.

"Let go of me!" she screamed, clawing at his arms. She successfully wrenched herself out of his hold and scrambled to her feet.

"Not so fast, little girl," he sneered, spitting blood. Before Emmy could break into a run, Gordon tripped her, making her skin her hands, knees and chin.

Emmy groaned, turning on her back, feeling as if someone knocked the air out of her lungs. Her chest heaved as she tried to get her breathing back in check. Gordon crouched down next to her with a devilish grin. He lifted his hand to touch her face but Emmy turned away from him, wincing in pain.

Gordon forcefully grabbed her chin, turning her head back towards him. "You actually thought you could get away so easily?"

"Wouldn't be the first time," she spat, lifting up her legs to hit him but his hand forced her limbs down.

"Ah-ah, give it up, sweetie."

Even though her body ached and stung, Emmy didn't let that stop her from bringing down her fist into his throat. Gordon stumbled back, coughing. She got on all fours and quickly crawled away from him. When she got to her feet, she didn't get far when his hand once again pressed against her mouth, but this time Gordon was holding a cloth. The smell was toxic and no matter how hard Emmy fought against him, she found herself falling into a deep darkness. The last thing she remembered as he carried her to his car, was seeing Dean lying unconscious in the backseat and suddenly everything faded into black.

 **SPN**

Dean was the first to come to, his head thudding from the blow he received to the head, making the scene before him beat like a pulse. He had to blink a couple times, forcing himself to pry his eyes open even if his lids weighed like a ton. As his vision slowly cleared, his hunter intuition told him to take in his surroundings first. The abandoned cabin lacked fresh air and light. The wooden walls were literally decaying, Dean couldn't even make out the color of the furniture with the thick layers of dust. Every object in the cabin, from the rugged carpet to the books on the shelf, was either in shreds or on the blink.

It wasn't until the blurriness had gone away that Dean noticed someone's presence next to him. Gordon was blocking his view as he leaned over someone. Dean noticed him taking something that looked like an IV bag. He grabbed the end of the cord and fastened it to something, causing a red substance to flow down the tube, gradually filling the bag. Gordon stepped back, revealing the person sitting on the other chair.

Dean could feel his blood boil, he felt a rush of adrenaline and fury rushing through his veins. His nostrils flared as he watched his sister slumped and unconscious in the chair. A needle was stuck in the crook of her arm, her crimson blood trailing down to the IV bag.

"You bastard! Let her go!" he roared, only now realizing he was tied to a chair as he fought against the restraints.

Gordon merely chuckled. "You always that cranky when you wake up?"

"Gordon, if you don't let her go, I swear to god I will rip out your skull with my bare hands and beat you to death with it." Dean was bristling, and if looks could kill, Gordon's brains would've already been splattered on the walls.

The man nodded, impressed. "Sounds promising." He leaned forward until his face was merely inches away from Dean. "Would love to see you try."

Dean snarled, the rope biting into the skin of his wrists.

Gordon laughed, amused. "The tables are turned now, my friend." He held up his phone after dialing a number, pressing it against Dean's ear. "Get your brother here."

Dean called Sam, giving him the location of the cabin, hoping his brother caught onto the emphasis he put on the words 'funky town'. It was their secret code for 'I'm in big trouble', it was something they came up with when they were just learning the ropes of hunting with their father.

Gordon flipped the phone close. "Now, was that so hard?"

"Bite me," Dean sneered, his eyes never leaving his baby sister. "What the hell did you do to her, you dickhead."

Gordon pointed at his crooked nose and the bruises covering his jaw. "Kitty Kat got some claws on her, had to put her down."

Dean couldn't stop the smirk playing on his lips. "That's my girl."

Gordon rolled his eyes and patted the girl's cheeks. "Come on, nap time's over."

Dean pushed against his bonds. "Hey! Get your filthy hands off of her!"

His boisterous voice was enough to stir Emmy. She groaned, shifting in her chair. Her eyes were glazed over as she opened them, she had this far-looking gaze as if she was still out of it. Every bone ached, her mouth was too dry and she found herself unable to focus, everything was so vague and hazy.

"I'm glad you decided to join us too, Kitty Kat," Gordon smirked.

Emmy saw three of him, his heads fading in and out of each other, but it still was enough for her to put two and two together. Her body stiffened, stuck between flight and fight modus. Her skin prickled and the hairs on the back of her neck stood up as a sign of the panic starting to rise inside of her. She whimpered as she struggled against the restraint, her heartbeat rapidly thudding against her chest.

"Emmy, sweetheart," Dean approached her soothingly, not wanting to set her off. She continued trashing about, working herself up as silent tears started sliding down her cheeks. "Emmy, calm down baby, you're hurting yourself." When she didn't give any sign of acknowledging him, Dean threw a murderous glare at Gordon. "What the hell did you gave her!"

"Hey, cool it. The drugs will soon start to wear off."

Dean's eyes nearly fell out of their sockets. "You frikkin' _drugged_ her! What the hell is wrong with you! She's _ten_ you asshole!"

"I told you I had to put her down." Gordon held up his hand, motioning for him to simmer down. "Relax, she's just a little woozy, no permanent damage."

"I said don't _touch_ her!" Dean snarled when Gordon grabbed Emmy's chin, stilling her.

Gordon ignored the overprotective brother and focused on Emmy. "Hey! Snap out of it, Kitty Kat."

The more Emmy blinked, the better she could focus. Gordon's three heads merged into one and his voice no longer sounded like she was under water. She jerked her chin out of his hand, fixing the man with the meanest glare she could muster.

"Emmy, I'm right here," Dean called out to her. He let out a breath of relief when she finally reacted to him.

"Dean?" As she took in her brother, tied to a chair just like her, everything suddenly started making sense.

Dean forced himself to offer her a small smile of reassurance. "You okay? Are you hurt?"

"I-I don't think so. W-where's Sammy?" she asked as she started looking around frantically.

"Oh, your brother will be here … soon," Gordon answered with an unsettling smile.

Emmy swallowed hard, her eyes shooting daggers at the man standing in front of her. Oh how satisfying it was to see the number she did on him. She may not have gotten away but at least she managed to throw some mean punches. Gordon didn't appear to be affected by the dirty looks at all, instead he seemed more interested in something else. Emmy followed his gaze to her arm and gasped.

"W-what the hell?" She tried to move her arm but the needle didn't budge.

"What's the deal with the blood, man?" Dean questioned with a hint of concern. "You didn't catch something from those vamps, did you?"

"You almost got it right, Dean-o. With this," he pointed at the IV bag, "it's me who will be catching them. Somehow her blood seems to draw those bloodsuckers like moths to a flame."

Dean shook his head. "You are a whole new level of crazy."

Gordon straddled a chair, crossing his arms over the back of it. "Say whatever you want, Winchester, but I've read about her in your daddy's journal." Dean's jaw clenched while Emmy squinted her eyes in rage. "I did some research but haven't found anything that fit your precious sister's profile yet. But whatever she is, something's running through her veins – something otherworldly, mysterious. Now if the mere scent of her blood is enough to get those vamps nutty as fruitcakes, imagine the effect it would have on other monsters."

Both Emmy and Dean turned silent, looking at Gordon in the same way a person would look at a maniacal, insane lunatic.

"Dude, how many times did your mother drop you on your head?" Emmy voiced her stupefaction.

"Yeah Gordy, I know we Winchesters ain't exactly your favorite people, but don't you think this is a little extreme?" Dean said.

Gordon left his chair, turning his back on them as he rummaged through his bag. "What, you think this is revenge?"

"Well, we did leave you tied up in your own mess for three days. Which was awesome. Sorry, I shouldn't laugh." Dean chuckled, earning a look from Emmy, one that said ' _not helping!'._

"Yeah. I was definitely planning on whoopin' your ass for that."

"Mm-hmm." Dean didn't sound threatened at all.

"But that's not what this is. This isn't personal." Gordon turned around with a sharp knife in his hands. "I'm not a killer, Dean. I'm a hunter. And your brother's fair game." He slammed the knife into its sheaths causing the siblings to flinch.

Emmy watched as he took slow steps around the cabin, his finger brushing the hilt of his knife. His circular motions were making her dizzy. She bowed her head, pinching her eyes closed, trying to block the pressure in her head. She opened them again after counting to thirty and followed the stream of her blood. The IV bag was filling up little by little. Emmy was never squeamish when it came to blood, yet she couldn't ignore the nausea growing in the pit of her stomach. She was so concentrated on her breathing and tuning everything out, she didn't even notice Gordon talking.

"See, I was doing an exorcism down in Louisiana. Teenage girl, seemed routine, some low-level demon. But between all the jabbering and the head-spinning, the damn thing muttered something. About a coming war." Gordon quit pacing and stopped right behind the siblings. "And I don't think it meant to, it just kind of slipped out. But it was too late. Piqued my interest. And you can really make a demon talk, you got the right tools."

"And what happened to the girl it was possessing?" Dean questioned, throwing a concerned look at Emmy. She was staring at her blood, her breathing ragged and shallow.

"She didn't make it."

Dean scoffed. "Well, you're a son of a bitch."

Gordon moved to stand in front of him. Dean looked up, almost daringly. His head snapped to the right as he received a blow to the side of his face.

Emmy jerked, her glistening eyes reflecting worry. Dean silently reassured her that he was okay.

"That's my momma you're talking about." Gordon started pacing again, his hands clasped on the small of his back. "Anyway. This demon tells me there are soldiers to fight in this coming war. Humans, fighting on hell's side. You believe that? I mean, they're psychics, so they're not exactly pure humans, but still. What kind of worthless scumbag have you got to be to turn against your own race?"

It took everything in Dean to refrain himself from rolling his eyes. Instead he watched his sister, he didn't like how pale she looked or how the IV bag was filling too fast. He tried to hold her gaze but she wouldn't look at him.

"But you know the biggest kick in the ass?" Gordon continued talking. "This demon said I knew one of them. Our very own Sammy Winchester."

This got Dean's attention and he chuckled. "Oh, this is ... this is a whole new level of moronic, even for you."

Gordon stopped between them, lowering his face close to Dean's. "Yeah? Come on, Dean. I know. About Sam's visions. I know everything."

"Really? Because a demon told you?" Dean laughed, masking the anxiety inside of him. "Yeah, and it wasn't lying."

"Hey, Dean. I'm not some reckless yahoo, okay?" Gordon raised his voice, sick of the smart ass attitude. "I did my homework. Made damn sure it was true. Look, you've got your Roadhouse connections, I got mine. It's how I found Sammy in the first place."

Emmy wanted to berate him for saying _Sammy_ , no one was allowed to call him that except Dean and herself. But no matter how hard she tried to make a sound, her tongue was too heavy and her voice seemed so far away.

Gordon lowered himself on a chair. "About a month ago I found another one of these freaks here in town. He could deep-fry a person just by touching them."

Dean raised a questioning eyebrow. "Yeah, did he kill anyone?"

"Well, besides Mr. Tinkles the cat? No. But he was working up to it. They're all gonna be killers, Dean. We've got to take them all out." Gordon reached for one of the rifles, cocking it. "And that means Sammy too."

Dean glared. "You think Sam's stupid enough to walk through that front door?"

"No, I don't. Especially since I'm sure you found a way to warn him." Gordon gave him a knowing look. "Ha. You really think I'm that stupid?"

Dean refused to falter. No way was he going to admit anything and blow their cover.

But it didn't matter to Gordon, he had it all figured out. "Sammy's going to scope the place first, see me covering the front door. So he's going to take the back. And when he does he'll hit the tripwire. Then –" He took a grenade from his bag and held it up. "Boom."

Coldness washed over Emmy, causing her to shiver in terror.

"Sam's not gonna fall for a friggin' tripwire." Dean hoped Gordon didn't pick up on the tremble in his voice.

"Maybe you're right. That's why I'll have a second one."

Dean never felt this helpless in his life. He would kill to get his hands on Gordon right now.

"Hey, look. I'm sorry. I wish I didn't have to do this, I really do. But for what it's worth, it'll be quick," Gordon offered as if that sounded like a fair deal.

 **SPN**

 _"_ _Emmy."_

Emmy had no idea how long she had been tied to the chair, she had no sense of time. She tried to count every heartbeat but it was going too fast. She could feel her pulse throbbing through her veins, every quiver was like someone hitting the drums and it kept getting louder and louder, it was almost deafening.

" _Emmy?"_

Her skin prickled as if someone pierced a needle all over her body. She felt so numb, she couldn't even feel the pressure of the ropes holding her captive. And even though she was cold, beads of sweat trickled down the side of her pale face.

"Emmy!"

She startled. "Mhmm?" it was the only sound she could make.

"Emmy look at me," Dean demanded. "Don't close your eyes."

"M'tired," she mumbled, her eyes too heavy to stay open.

"Gordon, get that thing out of her!"

"Relax." Gordon removed the IV bag, closing it and placing it on the table. He then returned with an empty one, fastening it to the infusion.

"Hey, that's enough!" Dean struggled against the bonds, not caring that they were literally slicing through his skin. "You're gonna get her killed you sonuvabitch!"

Gordon rolled his eyes. "I'm many things, Dean, but I'm not a child murderer. I've done my research, I can go up to half a gallon before her body won't be able to compensate. The worst thing that can happen is her going out like a light." Gordon lifted Emmy's face, she tried to jerk away but found herself unable to. "Feeling faint yet, Kitty Kat?"

"Get away from her, you bastard," Dean barked. "The torture you'll go through once you're in hell will be nothing compared to what I'm gonna do to you."

"Is that a promise?" Gordon smirked. "Maybe you're not that different from you brother. He _is_ a monster after all."

"That's not Sam," Dean stressed through gritted teeth. The guy was really pissing him off now.

"Yes it is. You just can't see it yet. Dean, it's his destiny. Look, I'm sympathetic. He's your brother, you love the guy. This has got to hurt like hell for you." Gordon reached into his bag and pulled out a scarf. "But here's the thing." He gagged Dean with the cloth. "It would wreck him. But your dad? If it really came right down to it, he would have had the stones to do the right thing here. But you're telling me you're not the man he is?"

Dean glared furiously, his mind imagining how nice it would feel to pull the trigger on Gordon's forehead and see the light fade in his cold blooded eyes.

 **SPN**

Emmy was aware of the first grenade exploding. She would've shouted in agony if she didn't feel like the life was draining out of her. The blood rushing through her ears was so loud, she momentarily wasn't sure if she heard the second grenade going off. It was getting harder to breathe, she felt like something heavy was lying on her chest. The simple task of filling her lungs with enough oxygen was becoming a challenge. She had long given up keeping her eyes open, the small amount of light was giving her a headache anyway.

The only thing stopping her from giving in to the darkness was the hope of seeing Sam. Emmy had to make sure he was still alive, he just had to be. She thought of how she didn't even get the chance to see him, he literally left without goodbye and she couldn't tell if she could survive losing someone else.

On the verge of losing consciousness, Emmy managed to pick up on the commotion. The sounds of things getting thrown over and fists hitting flesh were barely audible over the sound of her own heartbeat. She could feel her heart pumping, trying to make up for the blood loss. The choice of letting go was so tempting, all she had to do was surrender. It was so easy, too easy to give in. It felt like floating between the clouds ….

 **SPN**

" _Emmy_!" Dean had tried to get her attention for the last five nerve-wracking minutes, but she never responded.

Her ashen face was hidden behind her hair like a curtain. She looked like she was sleeping softly, but Dean knew better. He was over the initial shock of thinking he had lost Sam not more than ten minutes ago, but now his heart was yet again torn between his baby sister who wasn't responding and his brother who was fighting with Gordon.

Dean's ears perked up when he heard the sound of someone shuffling into the room. His breath caught in his throat until he noticed the form of his brother. Sam looked exhausted and battered, but that didn't matter to Dean. His brother was alive, that was more than he could've ever hoped for.

"Get Emmy first," were the first words coming out of his mouth when Sam approached him.

Sam's eyes raked over the red tube poking out of her sleeve leading to the half-filled IV bag. "What the …" Alarm and distress were written all over his face as he kneeled next to her. He carefully but swiftly removed the needle from the crook of her arm. Emmy didn't wince or react and that bothered him more than it should.

"Check her pulse," Dean demanded, sounding breathless.

Sam threw his brother a knife so he could free himself before pressing his fingers against his sister's throat. "It's too slow," he said. He brushed the hair from her face and cupped her cheeks. The lack of color on her skin and the low temperature was worrisome. "Emmy, honey?" He gently tapped her cheeks but got no response. He lifted her eyelids and noticed her pupils were dilated. "Oh, this is not good."

"She lost too much blood," Dean panted. As soon as he got out of his bonds, he instantly worked on the ropes tying his sister.

The moment Emmy was untied, her small body lolled forward. Sam caught her and lifted her up with an arm around her back and under her knees. "We gotta get to the hospital," he urged, already walking out.

Dean cracked his fists. "That son of a …"

"Dean. No." Sam stepped forward stopping him from going to the other room.

"I let him live once. I'm not making the same mistake twice."

Sam once again blocked his path. "Trust me. Gordon's taken care of. We got more pressing matters right now, come on!"

Dean's eyes flickered between his sister and the other room before his gaze settled on Emmy again. He got back and Sam almost dragged him out until he noticed why his brother returned. Dean took the IV bags and nudged his brother forward, out of the cabin.

 **SPN**

Emmy woke up from something tickling her feet. She gasped and sat up, frowning when she found herself lying on the grass. She was surrounded by white daisies and yellow dandelions, birds were singing in the air while the sun shined bright in the baby blue sky. The soft wind caressed her hair, causing the loose strands to fly around her face.

"Beautiful isn't it?" someone suddenly said.

Emmy jumped in surprise, not having noticed the man sitting next to her. He was looking at everything but her, his brown eyes filled with admiration.

"Each one of my Father's creation is astonishing, don't you think? The five elements, the human race, the animals, the stars and so much more. But my favorite has got to be nature – people never notice the beauty of it because they're too busy creating it, it's a shame."

"Uhm," Emmy cleared her throat, "who are you?"

The man looked down at her, as if only now noticing her presence. "This whole introducing thing is getting tiring, sweetcheeks." He touched her forehead with two fingers and Emmy gasped.

"Gabriel!" she breathed as lost memories came back flooding in her brain. "What are you doing here? Where are we? Where's Sammy and Dean? How did I get here? How come you're – "

"Shhh," the archangel shushed her with a finger to her lips. "One question at a time."

"M'okay," she mumbled against his digit before pushing it away. "Where am I?"

Gabriel lay back down, supporting himself on his elbows. "Nowhere. Somewhere. Anywhere."

"What?"

"I mean, this place doesn't really exist," he elaborated as he plucked a flower, smelling it.

"I-I don't understand," she stammered, tucking her bare feet under her bottom.

"You don't have to understand, just need to imagine," he said as he picked the petals off the flower. "Ever been to the beach?"

"What kinda question is that?" she asked, just as the scenery around her changed and she suddenly found herself between palm trees, white sand and blue waves. "Whoa."

"Mhmm, there's nothing more beautiful than the way the ocean refuses to stop kissing the shoreline, no matter how many times it's sent away," Gabriel commented with a serene smile as he sipped from a cocktail. "Want some?" he offered.

"What the _hell_ is going on?" Emmy demanded, holding her head. "Am I going crazy? Is this a dream?"

Gabriel snorted. "Much better, this is paradise, sugar muffin."

"Oh god …" Emmy's face fell. "Am I dead?" she whispered, too scared to even ask.

"Well, you're barely alive," he answered offhandedly, like it was no big deal.

A hand flew to her quivering lips, her eyes stinging with fresh tears. "I-I'm what?"

"Relax, honey bun." Gabriel offered her a reassuring grin, rubbing her back. "So do you like candy?"

Before Emmy could reply, the scenery once again changed into a candy store. She looked in wonder as she took in the endless racks filled with million kinds of candy. Everything was neatly sorted by color and Emmy never knew there was so much variety. Jawbreakers, blow pops, gummi bears, skittles, cotton candy, marshmallows, chocolate, chewing gums, lollipops, tootsie rolls, butterfingers, candy corn and the list went on.

"Here, you should try this one." Gabriel suddenly appeared in front of her, handing her a Pez with the head of SpongeBob.

Emmy lifted her hand to take it when she suddenly shook her head. "No wait, what is happening?"

Gabriel took a random chocolate bar and moaned as he savored the taste. "So much better than an orgasm," he muttered under his breath. "Oh wait, I probably shouldn't say that in front of a ten year old."

Emmy knocked the chocolate out of his hand. Gabriel looked offended but had no chance to protest when she cut him off.

"Gabriel, what is going on!"

The angel spread his arms. "Uh, I'm giving you a tour of paradise. Duh."

"The truth!" She shouted, fed up with his nonsense. "What is it that you're not telling me."

Emmy let out a content sigh when the man in front of her put his playful mask down, revealing his serious brown eyes. He let out a long breath before dropping his hands on her shoulders.

"We're in your head and this," he gestured at the candy store, "is just a diversion to distract you."

"Distract me from what?"

Gabriel held her gaze, staring at her meaningfully. "You lost too much blood."

"What are you talking about?"

Gabriel moved his hands up to cup her face. "Mary-Elisabeth, what's the last thing you remember?"

Emmy racked her brain as she tried to find her last memory. She was at Bobby's … no, she was on the road with Dean. Wait, why were they on the road? And where was Sam? The missing puzzle pieces were slowly falling back in place and Emmy's breath hitched as she remembered everything.

"Gordon," she whispered. "H-he wanted my b-blood, i-it was too much, I-I couldn't stop him, I-I tried to but – "

"Hey, it's alright. I got you. It's my job, remember?" Gabriel winked.

"What happened?" she sniffed, blinking away the tears.

"You passed out, your brothers are driving you to the hospital as we speak."

Emmy started shaking her head. "No, no I don't wanna go to the hospital, last time I set foot in one, my Dad …"

The ten year old couldn't bring herself to finish the sentence but that wasn't needed, Gabriel understood.

"Look, I'll fix this, don't worry, cupcake," he grinned.

"Thanks," she said softly. "For trying to distract me with all this and for saving me … again."

"Yeah, I'm gonna have to start charging you," he laughed.

Emmy couldn't help but let a smile appear. "So, will I remember this when I wake up?"

Gabriel's lips tightened. "I'm sorry, sweetie. You can't know about me, at least not yet."

"When?"

"That's up to God."

The youngest Winchester nodded, knowing that it was the only answer she would get.

"Okay, now put the sad face away and enjoy this while it lasts!" Gabriel pushed her forward, letting her explore the rest of the candy store.

"Do you have M&M's?" Emmy asked as she threw a tiny ball of fruitiness in her mouth.

Gabriel scoffed. "Do you even need to ask?"

He snapped his fingers and Emmy's jaw dropped as she took in the fifty-foot-wide, two-story-high, wall of chocolate, made up of 72 continuous M&M's-filled tubes.

"I'm in heaven," she breathed.

 **SPN**

"How's she doing? Is she breathing? Check her pulse," Dean jabbered as he sped down the road, ignoring every red light and speed limit.

Sam was in the back, holding Emmy's head in his lap. He continuously checked her heart rate with his fingers to her wrist or throat. She was still cold to the touch and she remained unresponsive. "Just drive faster, Dean."

"Goddammit!" Dean cursed, his hands tightly gripping the wheel as he pretended it was Gordon's throat he was choking.

He glanced at the rearview mirror, looking at his baby sister. He swallowed down the lump in his throat and did something he never though he'd do. He was desperate, he was running out of options and since Emmy's life was at stake, he swallowed down his pride … and prayed. He prayed to the man upstairs, God or whatever he's called. He prayed he would see his sister's gorgeous eyes again so he could drown in them, he prayed he would hear her laugh again so he could get lost in the sweet sound of it, he prayed she would just _live_ so his life would have meaning again.

"C'mon, honey, don't this to us, not you," Sam whispered as he stroked her soft cheek.

His finger trailed down the side of her cheek, ending on her chin. Sam still couldn't get over the fact that she was only fifty percent related to him but that didn't change his love for her. She'll always possess the biggest part of his heart, half-sister or not, she was the reason he woke up every day. She gave him purpose to live, to fight the evil to make this world a better place. He would still die for her and risk everything just to bring a beautiful smile to her face.

Sam dropped his forehead on Emmy's as he closed his eyes. He never felt this sick or guilty in his life. This was all his fault, if he hadn't up and left like that, this wouldn't have happened. He was the one that led his siblings to a dangerous place. His baby sister ending up in Gordon's hands, was on him, he was to blame for that. How he had wished he would've at least said something to her that night, instead of going up to his room without giving her any attention. He wished he would've held her and promised that nothing could ever change the way he loved her. They might not share the same DNA but that wasn't going to break the strong bond between them. He would always be there for her and absolutely _nothing_ can get in the way.

"S-Sammy?"

Sam jolted upright, his eyes searching Emmy's face. He almost went into shock when he found her staring right back at him.

"Emmy?" Sam was utterly confused. Just two seconds ago she was practically comatose and now she looked like she just woke up from a nap. He sat her up and grabbed her face, forcing her eyes open to check her pupils. His fingers searched for the pulse in her neck and he realized her temperature was back to normal.

Dean had pulled up the car and had already made his way to the backseat. He opened the door and got in on the other side of his sister. He grabbed Emmy's wrist, needing to check her pulse too. He then put his hand on her forehead to make sure.

Emmy lifted her arms, pushing her brothers' prying hands away. "Okay, would you two stop it!"

"How're you feeling?" Dean asked, reaching for her chin and turning her head from side to side.

Emmy groaned and pulled away. "I'm _fine_."

"How many fingers am I holding up?" Sam questioned, holding up his hand.

She rolled her eyes. "Five."

"Follow my finger," he ordered.

Emmy took hold of his moving finger in front of her face and held it down. "Sammy, what part of _I'm fine_ don't you understand."

"Sweetheart, just a minute ago, you were lying here passed out," Dean told her. "Your temperature was so low and your pulse was so faint that we thought you were going to die from the blood loss."

"Well, for the third time, I am fine," she stressed the last words. "I'm a little tired though, but that's it."

Sam and Dean shared a concerned look. Something wasn't adding up but looking at their sister she looked good. The color returned to her cheeks, her lips were a healthy pink again and her eyes weren't glazed over. If there was something the Winchester brothers learned from the past it's that you never look a gift horse in the mouth. Now, they might not have a logical explanation to what really saved their sister but since that's all they had been praying for the last hour, they should be grateful.

Sam grabbed Emmy and hugged her close against his chest. He smoothed down her hair and pressed several kisses on her head. "You had us worried to death."

As Dean watched his siblings embrace he couldn't help but look at the starlit sky through the window, wondering if maybe someone _did_ hear his prayer, maybe someone granted his wish, and maybe, just maybe, there _was_ a god ...

 ** _A/N:_** **Salut, mes amis!  
Holy frikkin' cow! You guys blew up my phone after I had posted Croatoan. THIRTY reviews on the last chapter?! I almost cried, not kidding. I honestly thought I was dreaming, you guys never cease to amaze me with the support. THANK YOU SO MUCH for all those lovely words, they gave me such a boost!**

 **I hope you enjoyed this chapter too, let me know what you thought of it. I know I haven't included much of Sam's journey with Ava but I'm planning on writing about it in the next chapter. Also I posted some pictures on my tumblr (** ** _mayremmy_** ** _)_** **, so check them out if you want to :)**

 **To show you guys my appreciation, you can all pay a visit to Gabriel's Candy Store and pick whatever you like!**

 **XXXXXXX**

 **PS: if you happen to find a grammar mistake, let me know ;)**


	12. Playthings

**Disclaimer: I do not own Supernatural. I only own my OC Mary-Elisabeth "Emmy" Winchester.**

"Hey, Ava, it's Sam. Again. Um, call me when you get this, just want to make sure you got home okay. All right. Bye."

Dean looked away from the road to give his brother a sideway glance. "Everything all right?"

Sam tucked his phone back into his pocket. "Yeah, I hope so," he sighed as he ran a nervous hand through his hair.

"So care to explain who the girl is?" Emmy questioned with an edgy tone, something that didn't go unnoticed by Sam. She was sitting between her brothers since Dean wanted to keep an eye on her until he was sure she was fully recovered and wasn't about to pass out on them again.

Dean received a look from his brother and shrugged. "Don't look at me, I for one would like to know more about her, too."

"Yeah, Sammy." Emmy twisted in the front seat, turning towards Sam with a confronting stare. "How did she woo you to just up and leave with no simple goodbye."

Sam wetted his lips, his jaw tensing. "Look, I didn't leave you guys alright. I was looking for answers, looking for people like me."

Dean raised a single eyebrow. "And Ava was one of em?"

"Yes, she has visions like me. I found her thanks to Ash," Sam explained.

Emmy nodded. "So you found her, then what? You just thought to yourself, oh let's ditch my family? Did it ever cross your mind to just, oh I don't know, _pick up your damn phone!_ "

Dean grabbed her arm, pulling her back. "Hey, calm down."

His sister tried to shrug off his hold but Dean kept his hand on her arm while he used the other to steer the wheel. He could feel Emmy practically bristling with rage under his touch. He didn't blame her, he understood her frustration. Hell, he went through the same stress and anxiety – and it wasn't the most memorable moment of his life. Just like his sister, he too was dying to know what went through his brother's head.

"Look, hear me out alright?" Sam put up his hands in a pacifying manner. "She saved my life."

Emmy snorted. "What, did she get rid of all the pain inside of you with her beautiful eyes and touch?"

Sam continued, pretending not having heard his sister's smartass comment. "Ava was the one that had a vision about Gordon setting up those bombs. If it wasn't for her, I wouldn't have been here."

Emmy's face faltered, she wasn't one to hold a grudge for long but she was hoping to give her brother the cold shoulder, just to give him a taste of his own medicin. All these days without him, the only thought circulating through her head was not finding Sam, or him being in some kind of trouble or worse … The fear of losing her brother was torture, so when she found him getting cozy with some girl in a motel room, it ignited the burning fire of rage inside of her. She was past the relief of him being alive and unharmed, but hearing that her biggest fear could've been reality felt like another blow.

She mumbled an apology without making eye contact, too proud to admit that the _girl_ who she already learned to despise was the reason her brother was still breathing.

Sam didn't say anything and decided to drop it. His siblings had every right to pick a bone with him, he admitted that he didn't make the best decisions. He knew that his devil-may-care attitude would end him up in some predicament. It's something his father always used to warn him of, not realizing that his son only took after him when it came to the impulsive personality.

"I'm still giving you a buttkick though," Emmy broke the silence.

"A what?" Sam couldn't help but laugh.

Dean rolled his eyes. "Emmy what did I tell you?"

"What?" Emmy looked up at her brother with innocent eyes. "You said I couldn't say ass, but I didn't say ass, I said butt-kick instead of ass-kick."

"You literally said it three times now," Sam snickered.

"Emmy," Dean started.

"He tricked me!" Emmy defended herself as she pointed at Sam, giving Dean a pout. "Please, no mouthwash," she begged.

Dean purposefully looked away from his sister's face, knowing that one second longer of those puppy dog eyes and he would cave. "I'll let you know when I made up my mind."

Emmy leaned closer to him, hugging his arm and rubbing her cheek against the leather fabric. "I just lost way too much blood and only an hour ago I was unconscious … I could've died Dean."

Dean scoffed. "You can't use that against me."

"I'm just saying, you should cut me some slack … because I could've died Dean," she repeated with a cough for emphasis.

Dean's gaze trailed down to his sister's doe eyes before he quickly looked away. "One last chance."

Emmy grinned in victory, winking at Sam who shook his head in disbelief. His brother was such a sucker, their sister had Dean wrapped all around her ten fingers.

Dean cleared his throat. "Talking about soap, Gordon should be reaching for it for the next few years at least."

"Yeah." Sam nodded, his smile suddenly washed away at the thought of the bastard's face. "If they pin Scott Carey's murder on him. And if he doesn't bust out."

"Wait, you called the cops?" Emmy asked, not having witnessed what happened after she had passed out. "You're such a law-abiding citizen, Sammy … who still deserves a butt-kick by the way."

"Thanks." Sam playfully pulled at her pony tail, earning a kick in the leg in return.

Dean watched the sibling banter, the corners of his lips twitching when Emmy pulled a face at Sam who stuck his tongue at her. The fact that he could've lost both of them in the span of an hour was suddenly overwhelming. What really gnawed at him the most was that he wasn't the one that saved them. He had to rely on some stranger to warn his brother, his father would've been so disappointed in him. Dean only had one job, _one,_ and yet he couldn't even do that. He still didn't know what or who saved his sister, somehow his mind couldn't or didn't want to believe that God had anything to do with it. But that wasn't even the point, the point was that _he_ wasn't the one that saved his sister.

Dean never considered himself lucky, luck was for the good people, people that didn't hunt monsters and commit sins to kill time. But driving the Impala with the only people he loved sitting right next to him like they were supposed to, gave him a taste of how it felt to be lucky for once.

"Dude, you ever take off like that again …" he suddenly spoke, interrupting their playful jesting.

"What? You'll kill me?" Sam joked.

"That is so not funny," both Emmy and Dean commented.

"Wait." Sam's eyes narrowed at his brother when something suddenly hit him. "You told her?"

Dean swallowed hard. "She was bound to know, Sam, you know that."

"What else did you tell her," Sam asked in trepidation.

Dean almost wanted to berate his brother for even thinking he would spill the beans and tell his sister that they didn't share the same father but he held his tongue and answered with a simple, "That's all."

Sam nodded slowly as he let out an imperceptible sigh of relief.

Emmy looked between her brothers, catching on to something. "What is it?"

"Nothing," Dean answered too quickly. "So where to next?"

Sam had picked up his phone again. "How far is it to Peoria?"

"Why?" Dean wanted to know.

Sam bit his bottom lip in thought. "I just have a bad feeling…"

 **SPN**

Emmy yawned as she trailed behind Sam while Dean followed her. After breaking into Ava's house, they entered with flashlights shining into the darkly lit home. Emmy had wanted to stay in the car and sleep but her brothers weren't having any of it, both her brothers didn't want her out of her sight. At first she thought it was stupid, but now she didn't mind much. Maybe she'll get the chance to meet the woman that saved her brother, the least Emmy could do was thank Ava … and then get back to not liking her.

"Hello? Is anybody home?" Sam called out as he looked around.

The house was eerily silent and Emmy didn't like the thought of breaking into someone's house like that. It just seemed like they were invading someone's privacy.

"We could've just knocked, you know," she muttered to no one in particular as she walked towards the kitchen.

"Emmy," Dean whisper-yelled. He pointed to the space in front of him. "I said no wandering off, get back here."

With a roll of her eyes, she went back to stand in front of Dean who placed a firm hand on her shoulder. She followed Sam up the stairs to Ava's bedroom. Her brothers held their guns ready as Sam pushed the door open with his foot.

"Oh my god," he mumbled.

Emmy craned her neck to see but Sam blocked her path. He swiftly turned her around and pushed her into Dean's chest who held her against him.

"Wait, what is it?" she demanded, twisting in her brother's arms to get a look.

While Dean kept his guard at the doorframe, Sam entered the room and started for the window where something caught his eye. He ran a finger along the windowsill, staring at the powdery substance. He turned to his brother who was still keeping Emmy trapped in his hold and shot him a knowing look as he held up his fingers. "Sulfur. Demon's been here."

Emmy hit her small fists against her brother's chest but Dean didn't budge. "Just let me see. Or at least tell me what it is."

But Dean didn't pay any attention to her, instead he watched as his brother kneeled to pick up a ring on the floor.

"Ava," Sam whispered.

"Oh come on! Let me go!" Emmy demanded, tired of not witnessing anything.

With a hard jerk, she suddenly managed to pull away. Dean tried to hide the sight from her but it was too late. Emmy's lips opened, her blue eyes enlarged as they took in the man lying in bed with red substance splattered everywhere. His once grey t-shirt was nearly black as it was soaked in his own blood. His exposed skin was as white as the sheets, his open eyes lifeless and … dead.

Emmy wanted to hurl, run away or simply close her eyes to get the gruesome image out of her head, but she was frozen, nailed to the ground. It wasn't the first time she witnessed a dead body but she had wished she would get used to it no matter how sick and twisted that sounded. Oh, how wrong she was, seeing a corpse always hit her with full force. It was different from seeing dead monsters because that man lying in his own blood was as human as she and her brothers, and that was a hard pill to swallow.

Dean hooked an arm under his sister's bottom and swiftly lifted her up, cradling the back of her head as he gently hid her face in the crook of his neck.

"We gotta go."

 **SPN**

Several days later, both Emmy and Dean walked out of the doctor's practice where Emmy just had her annual physical examination. Even though she stated more than once that she was feeling just fine, her brothers seemed to only take a doctor's opinion for it.

"Told you I was okay," Emmy said with a lollipop bulging in her cheek.

"We can never be too sure," Dean replied, grabbing her hand as they crossed the street. "At least now I know you're as healthy as a filly."

"Mhmm," she merely nodded in an ' _I told you so'_ -way, smacking her lips. "Hey Dean?"

"Yeah, sweetheart."

Emmy swung their hands back and forth as they started for the Impala. "Can I ask you something?"

Dean briefly looked down at her before answering, "Sure."

"When Dr. Phillips was going over my medical file, I caught something."

"What's that?" he asked, swallowing hard as he tried to conceal the tremble in his voice. _Oh man, she didn't find out did she?_

"How come uncle Bobby's my legal guardian and not you?"

Dean let out a breath he didn't even know he was holding in the first place. That was close. "Uh, because I'm supposed to be dead, remember?"

"Oh, yeah," she mumbled around her lollipop. "So what about Sammy then? I mean he's an adult, right?"

"Just barely," Dean snickered. "Listen, before Dad …" he licked his lips, not wanting to say the word, "he signed to give full custody to Bobby in case anything happened to me. The only reason he didn't choose Sam was because he knew the court would only grant legal guardianship to someone who's financially stable and lives in a child friendly environment."

"What if uncle Bobby dies? Then what?" Emmy wanted to know.

Dean ran a hand down her head, smoothing down her hair. "Don't worry about that, sweetheart. Just know that even though Bobby's name is on that paper, we're _all_ here for you, that's about the only thing you need to know. Okidoki?"

"Okidoki," Emmy smiled, giving her lollipop a lick. She noticed a bakery across the street, close to where the Impala was parked and nudged her brother. "Can we get doughnuts for breakfast?"

"What did Dr. Phillips just say? You need to lay off on the sugar." Dean threw her a knowing look.

Emmy scowled, not happy about the advice at all.

"Well I say, who the hell is he to tell us how to live our lives," Dean winked.

A huge grin split his sister's face, her eyes twinkling in anticipation. "I want a chocolate glazed funfetti doughnut, a pistachio crunch and a pinky heart but without the sprinkles and – "

Dean couldn't help but smirk as he listened to Emmy naming her favorite toppings. Winchester or not, that girl's love for sweets was proof enough that she was his sister alright.

 **SPN**

Sam threw his phone on one of the motel beds as he ended the call with Ellen. He sighed as he stared at the wall covered in maps and notes with Ava's picture in the center. He had called numerous hunters but no one had a single clue about her whereabouts.

He looked up when he heard the keys jiggle outside of the door. Dean entered with a skipping Emmy behind him.

"Hey Sammy!" she laughed, jumping into his lap.

Surprised, he hugged her back. "Hey, to you too. I take it everything went well at the doctor's."

"Yup," she nodded wildly, her pigtails bouncing around her heart-shaped face. "He gave me two lollipops, I would've shared but they're already in here," she pointed at her stomach. "Sorry not so sorry."

Sam frowned. "What kinda doctor gives a ten year old candy at eight in the morning?"

"Uh, it was eight _thirty,_ " Emmy pointed out smartly.

"Like that makes a difference," Sam rolled his eyes.

"So, found anything?" Dean questioned after he had shrugged out of his jacket.

Sam started rubbing at his forehead in exasperation. "I've been checking every database I can think of," he stopped midsentence when Emmy suddenly jumped out of his lap, running towards her bag " – federal, state, and local. No one's heard anything about Ava, she just vanished into thin air, you know?

"Huh," was Dean's only response. He handed him one of the two cups together with a box of doughnuts.

Sam accepted the coffee as he watched Emmy ferociously looking for something in her bag. He lifted a finger from his cup to point at their hyper sister. "What's with her?"

"So what about Ellen?" Dean asked instead. "She have anything useful?"

Sam looked away from Emmy messing around with her jumping rope. "Uh, well actually she did have one thing."

"Hmm?" Dean hummed as he took a sip from his hot coffee.

"A hotel in Cornwall, Connecticut. Two freak accidents in the past three weeks."

Dean raised a single eyebrow. "Yeah? What's that have to do with Ava?"

"It's a job," Sam explained as he gathered his notes. "I mean, a lady drowned in the bathtub; then a few days ago a guy falls down the stairs, head turns a complete one-eighty. Which isn't exactly normal, you know?"

Both brothers looked up when they heard a crash across the room. Emmy jumped up from between the beds, her hair disheveled and the rope tangled around her small body. She blew a stray strand of hair from her face as she flashed her brothers a thumbs up. "I'm okay!"

"Seriously, what's up with her?"

Dean cleared his throat. "So did you tell Ellen we'd check it out?"

"Yeah," Sam answered, taking his brother off guard. "You seem surprised."

Dean leaned back against his chair with his arms crossed over his chest. "Well yeah, it's just, you know, not the, uh, patented Sam Winchester way, is it?"

Sam's eyes narrowed with a hint of challenge. "What way is that?"

Dean shrugged. "I just figured after Ava there'd be, uh, you know, more angst and droopy music and staring out the rainy windows, and – " he trailed off when he received the ultimate bitch face from his brother, "yeah, I'll shut up now."

Sam sucked in a deep breath, his eyes trailing over Ava's picture on the wall. "Look. I'm the one who told her to go back home. Now her fiancé's dead and some demon has taken her off to God knows where." His teeth caught his lower lip as he gnawed on it in frustration. "But we've been looking for a while now, and we've got nothing. So I'm not giving up on her, but I'm not going to let other people die either. We've got to save as many people as we can."

"Wow." Dean paused for a full minute as he watched his brother, trying to ignore the ten year old bouncing around the room. He wouldn't have expected any differently from Sam, the guy never gave up and his diligence and persistence was something Dean could only admire. Not that he would ever admit that to his brother so he settled with, "That attitude is just way too healthy for me, and I'm officially uncomfortable now. Thank you."

Sam ducked his head, his shoulder shaking with silent laughter.

"All right, call Ellen." Dean took a bite from one of the doughnuts, white powder sticking to his lips. "Tell her we'll take it," he said with a full mouth.

Sam cringed as he witnessed his brothers eating habits. Before he could react though, someone jumped back onto his lap, almost knocking over his coffee in the process. Emmy swung an arm around her brother's neck and smiled.

"Did you taste your doughnut yet? I picked it out just for you." She leaned forward to get his out of the box. "Since you're such a health freak, I thought you would wanna have one with something less sugary so I got you the Almond Lover," she said in one breath.

"Okay first of all, those miniscule almond flakes on top of this sugar bomb don't make this doughnut anywhere near healthier. And secondly, why does mine look like someone took a bite of it?"

"Oops," she mumbled under her breath.

Dean snorted with an amused expression. "She wanted to make sure they tasted good enough."

"Yup!" she nodded. "Oh and they were _goooood_."

" _They_?" Sam repeated.

Emmy's eyes widened as she exchanged a look with Dean. "Double oops," she muttered.

Sam glared at his brother. "Dude, you know not to give her more than one doughnut. No wonder she's acting like a Duracell Bunny. How many did she eat?"

"Does it matter?" Dean asked. "I mean in ten hours she'll be conked out."

"No I won't!" Emmy protested.

Dean shot her a challenging look. "Wanna bet?"

Sam pinched the bridge of his nose. "Oh man, I can already feel the headache coming."

Emmy punched his shoulder. "Hey, I'm not that bad."

"Wanna bet?"

 **SPN**

Sam didn't even wait till the Impala was parked when he already got out, shutting the door behind him. He closed his eyes, breathing in the misty air, enjoying the brief silence. Being stuck in the car for three hours with a ten year old who couldn't shut her mouth for more than a second was not a delight. The silence was short-lived though when the rest climbed out of the car too.

" … so I still don't understand uncle Bobby's microwave. I mean how come one minute plus one minute equals two minutes but when I press on the 60 seconds button two times, it gives me one minute and twenty seconds. How's that possible? So does that mean that 60 seconds and one minute aren't really the same?"

Dean closed his eyes, his fists balling up. His patience was literally running out. When he composed himself, he turned to Emmy and smiled gently. "Sweetheart, you know I suck at math, why don't you ask Sammy over here." Cue bitch face number 54. "I'm sure he would love to explain this microwave mystery to you."

"I – I," Sam stuttered but gave up. "I need an aspirin."

"That still doesn't answer my question," Emmy pressed, still waiting for an explanation.

"Good luck." Dean patted his brother's shoulder as he walked past him, barely missing the kick in his side. "Dude, this is sweet. I never get to work jobs like this."

"Like what?" Sam questioned as he grabbed their bags from the trunk.

"Old school haunted houses, you know? Fog, and secret passageways ... sissy British accents."

"Might even run into Fred and Daphne while we're inside," Emmy added to his fantasy.

Dean looked up at the hotel with a dreamy expression. "Mmm, Daphne. Love her."

As they went up the steps, Sam noticed an urn on the side of the porch. "Hey, wait a sec," he held up his hand as he inspected it more closely. "I'm not so sure haunted is the problem."

"What do you mean?" Dean asked as he took a closer look.

"You see this pattern here?" Sam pointed a five-point symbol engraved in the urn. "That's a quincunx, that's a five-spot."

"Five-spot," Dean repeated in thought. "That's used for hoodoo spellwork, isn't it?"

"Right, yeah. You fill this thing with bloodweed and you've got a powerful charm to ward off enemies."

"Yeah, except I don't see any bloodweed." Dean looked around, hiking up his bag on his shoulder. "Don't you think this place is a little too, uh, whitemeat for hoodoo?"

"Maybe," Sam shrugged when he suddenly noticed something missing. "Where's Emmy?" he wondered just as he heard her familiar giggling inside the hotel.

Dean groaned. "I'm gonna have to put a leash on that girl."

"And duct tape on her mouth," Sam added as they entered.

The brothers looked around the quiet interior when a woman appeared in front of them briskly.

"May I help you?"

Dean took a step back, not having seen her coming. "Hi, yeah, I'd like a room for a couple of nights."

"Sammy, Dean!" Emmy darted in front of her brothers with another girl around her age right on her heels. "Can I play with Tyler? We're getting chased by Maggie and she needs to catch us."

"Uh," Dean was momentarily thrown off. Where did this girl suddenly come from and when did Emmy even get the time to meet her?

"Sure!" Sam nodded. Dean however wasn't a fan of his sister wandering around a crime scene. Sam noticed his brother's hesitance and whispered, "Let her use up all that energy."

The two girls ran off, their laughter echoing against the high walls.

"Sorry about that," the woman apologized sheepishly. "My daughter can be … overwhelming sometimes."

"Well, I guess Emmy found her match then," Dean smiled.

"Well, um, congratulations, you could be some of our final guests," she said as she lead them to the reception.

"Sounds vaguely ominous," Dean commented.

"No, I'm sorry, I mean we're closing at the end of the month." She stopped long enough to appraise them. "Well, let me guess. You guys are here antiquing?"

Dean shared a look with Sam and decided to go with it. "How'd you know?"

"Oh, you just look the type," she said, not noticing the uncomfortable expression appearing on Dean's face. "So, uh, king-sized bed?"

Both brothers opened their mouths, unable to get anything out as they stumbled over their own words.

"What? No, uh, no, we're, we're . . . two singles," Sam managed to say. "We're just brothers and Emmy's our _baby sister_."

Realization hit her and she quickly sputtered an apology.

Dean squinted his eyes in question. "What'd you mean that we look the type?"

Now it was the woman's turn to stand there speechless.

 **SPN**

"Let's get up there!" Tyler ushered Emmy into an old, wooden gazebo. "I bet Maggie's never gonna find us here."

Emmy slid to the surface, hiding from the girl. "Wow, this place is huge!" she gasped in awe.

"Oh, you haven't seen anything yet. If you want I'd like to give you a tour around the hotel," Tyler smiled.

"Sounds good," Emmy nodded excitedly.

"So are those guys your dads?" Tyler wondered.

Emmy pulled a face. "Eww, no they're my brothers."

"Oh," she breathed in understanding. "So what are you guys doing here in Cornwall?"

"Uhm, we're just … sightseeing," Emmy lied. "We're on a family road trip."

"That sounds awesome!" Tyler's eyes lit up. "You must see a lot of cool things."

 _Oh you have no idea,_ Emmy thought. "Hmm."

Tyler tucked her knees against her chest. "I've never really been outside Connecticut. Can I tell you a secret? I hope my Mom's really shutting this place down so we can finally get out of this boring hotel."

"I heard strange things have been happening in here," Emmy instigated.

"This place has always been strange. So out of all the hotels, why did your brothers come here?" Tyler wanted to know.

"Uh, well, my brothers don't scare that easily," Emmy chuckled uneasily. "So who's Maggie? Is she your sister?"

Emmy had yet to meet the other girl. When she entered the hotel she was instantly seized by Tyler who asked her to play a game with her and Maggie. Not seeing why she shouldn't tag along, Emmy had just went along with it.

"Not really, but we're as close as sisters. We've known each other since my grandma got sick. Maggie's helping me get my mind off what's been happening lately," Tyler explained. "But don't let her scare you off though."

Emmy looked at her weirdly. "Why would she scare me off?"

Tyler ran a nervous hand through her light brown hair. "Well, Maggie doesn't really like making new friends. She's not a big fan of playing games with anyone but me. But you know, if you're lucky I'm sure she's gonna love you."

"Okay … ?" Emmy wasn't really sure what to expect but thought whatever it was, she could handle it. Wouldn't be the first time she ever met someone that scared her off.

"I found ya!"

Emmy yelped, startled. She looked up at the girl standing in front of her with pure bewilderment flashing in her eyes. "Where – I mean how did you – you just … out of the blue – _Huh_?"

Maggie threw her head back, laughing her curly head off. "That was funny."

"Uh, no it wasn't," Emmy panted. That girl just scared the crap out of her. She put her hand on her chest, willing herself to pull herself together. Guess she understood now what Tyler was talking about.

"Um, Maggie, this is Emmy. Emmy, Maggie," Tyler introduced the girls to each other.

"So what is _she_ doing here?" Maggie demanded, every trace of laughter had vanished.

 _Rude, much?_ Emmy thought. "My brothers and I are staying here for a couple days."

"Oh." Maggie looked her up and down, her eyes squinted in suspicion.

Emmy fidgeted under the girl's stare. But she told herself not to back down, she wasn't going to let herself get scared that easily.

"Hey Maggie, how about we show Emmy around?" Tyler suggested, not seeming to notice the hostile look her best friend was shooting at the Winchester.

Maggie turned her head away from Emmy so fast, the blonde was surprised she didn't give herself a whiplash.

"Sure!" She smiled so widely, Emmy though her face was going to spilt in two.

 **SPN**

After receiving their key to the room, the brothers settled in. Sam was sitting by the window, sifting through papers concerning their case. Dean was pacing back and forth, his face showing distaste and horror as he took in the decoration of the room. Especially the antique wedding dress displayed on the wall gave him chills, reminding him of a ghost. If this hotel turns out to be haunted, he wouldn't be surprised at all.

"Why the hell would anyone stay here? I'm amazed they kept in business this long," Dean voiced his utter stupefaction.

"All right," Sam decided to jump into action right away. "Victim number one, Joan Edison, forty three years old, a realtor handling the sale of the hotel. Victim number two was Larry Williams, moving some stuff out to Goodwill."

"Well, there's a connection, they're both tied up in shutting the place down," Dean said as he perched himself on the bed, almost tumbling over in the process. He pushed his hands down the matrass and quickly realized it was a water bed. Great.

"Yeah. Maybe somebody here doesn't want to leave, and they're using hoodoo to fight back."

"Who do you think our witch doctor is, that Susan lady?" Dean wondered, referring to the owner of the hotel.

Sam ran a shaky hand though his mop of hair. "No, doesn't seem likely. I mean, she is the one selling."

"So what then, Sherwin?" Just the mention of the old man's name gave Dean a bad taste in his mouth. He lost some hard earned money to that guy, money he could've used on more important things … like a double bacon cheese burger.

Sam tapped his fingers across the table. "I don't know."

"Of course, the most troubling question is why do these people assume we're gay?" Dean remarked.

"Well, you are kinda butch," Sam asserted with a smirk. "Probably think you're overcompensating."

Dean laughed mockingly. "Right." He moved to lay down, closing his eyes as his head hit the pillow. "Let's enjoy the silence while it lasts."

"Dean! Sammy!" Emmy barged into the room, panting.

Dean opened his eyes. "Well, that didn't last long."

"Have you seen their yard? It is huge! It has these big fountains, and one of them even has fish in it. I tried to catch one but they were too slimy too hold. And guess what? They even have a pool! And not just a pool, but an _indoor swimming pool._ How cool is that! Oh and there's a bar downstairs with pool tables, boxing games, vending machines, video arcade games, jukeboxes, and if you're staying here, you can use them all for _free!_ And Tyler even showed me this room with a gigantic screen where you can watch all kinds of movies, there's horror, thriller, sci-fi, chick flicks, animated and – ew, what is that?"

For a minute, the brothers didn't even notice she had stopped talking until silence returned.

Emmy walked over the dress, running her fingers over it. "That thing looks like it needs a washing." She sniffed and recoiled in disgust. "It even smells like oldness. Speaking of old – "

"Oh god," Dean groaned into his pillow.

Sam pointed an accusing finger at his brother. "This is all your fault."

" – there's this old man that works here, his name is Sherwin, I mean it's like his mother knew he was going to grow old and gave him an old name. Tyler says he's a really nice man but he has so many wrinkles in his face and I think his eyelids are sagging too much. What if they cover his eyes and he can't see anymore? Also, I wonder how old he is? Maggie thinks he's a hundred years old because he's been around this place since forever. But I guess he's like ninety nine because no one lives to be a hundred. Unless … " Emmy gasped. "What if he's a ghost! Oh no wait, ghosts can't pick up luggage do they? They're not corporeal, did I use the word right Sammy? Also, how come everything in here is made out of wood? If someone hated this place so much, why didn't they just put it on fire? That would've been so much more effective don't you think? Oh I forgot to tell you guys about – "

"Okay!" Dean jumped out of his bed. "Emmy, let's play a game. The silence game."

Emmy frowned. "The one where we hold a competition to see who can stay quiet for the longest? I hate that game, I always loose – "

"No, look the rules are different now. Instead of Sam and I tagging along, you're the only one playing the game."

Emmy pursed her lips in thought. "But then how do we decide who wins?"

"That's the thing, you'll be the winner since you're the only one playing." Dean crouched in front of her, studying her as she seemed to think about it. "So what do you say?"

"For how long do I have to play this game?" She asked with her arms crossed.

"Till you fall asleep," Sam mumbled under his breath.

Emmy turned her head towards her brother. "What?"

"Uh, I said three, four hours?" Sam quickly suggested. "Unless you can do longer of course, we're not gonna stop you."

"I bet I can do _five_ hours! That way I can finally beat your stupid record and you guys can no longer call yourselves Kings of Silence cuz _I_ will be the one carrying the title. Only it won't be King but Queen because obviously I'm not a boy. Oh man it will be so sweet to see you guys loose to someone who's half your age and – "

"How about we start the game _now_ ," Sam interrupted. He loved this girl with his entire heart but damn, she could talk and he could put up with a lot but every man has only a certain amount of patience and Emmy just used all of it.

"Wait what do I get? If, I mean _when_ I'm gonna win, I deserve at least a prize."

"Honestly, you'll get anything you want, just please show me you can really shut up for five hours," Dean almost begged.

"Uh, anything but food," Sam quickly added. "That means no candy, chocolate or anything with sugar in it."

Emmy pondered over the deal before nodding. "Deal." She stuck her hand out to shake Dean's hand but her brother was so relieved that he grabbed her in a hug, whispering _thank god_.

 **SPN**

The Winchester siblings poked around the hallways, searching for something that could give them a hint about the deaths. Emmy, still hopped up on sugar, skipped in silence when she suddenly ran into a door marked _Private._ She was about to call her brothers when she remembered the game. So she ran back to Sam and Dean where they gathered around another urn with the same quincunx.

"Hey. Look at that. More hoodoo," Sam said as he pointed at the symbols.

Dean looked down when he felt a tug at his sleeve. He almost asked what she wanted but he quickly bit his tongue. Emmy dragged him to the room and Dean knocked.

Susan answered the door, looking as if she didn't expect them. "Hi. Everything okay with your room?"

"Yeah. Yeah, yeah, everything's great. Yeah."

Emmy shot her brothers a weird look, their room was nowhere near great.

"Well, I was, I was just in the middle of packing." Susan smiled dismissively, starting to close the door when Dean stopped her.

"Are those antique dolls?" he asked as he looked past her. "Because this one," he dropped his hands on Emmy's shoulders, "this one here, she's got a major doll collection back home. Dontcha, sweetheart? Huh?"

One look at those creepy dolls and Emmy knew she was gonna have nightmares. Knowing she couldn't talk, she started shaking her head no when Dean hugged her head against his hard chest. Emmy tried to push him away but her face remained plastered against her brother's shirt.

"She's just a little shy about it," Dean smiled, ignoring the pinches he got on his arm. "You think she could come — or we could come in and take a look?"

Susan looked down at Emmy with an apologizing expression. "I don't know ..."

Emmy managed to finally get out of Dean's hold and made a move to run off when Sam grabbed her instead, trapping her between himself and his brother. Emmy was regretting this whole silence game.

"Please? I mean, she loves them. Right, Emmy?" Sam pinched her dimpled cheek and it took everything in her not to bite his finger off. Instead she mustered up all the charm she had in her and smiled sweetly.

When Susan still didn't seem convinced, Dean added some more. "She's not gonna tell you this, but she's, she's always dressing 'em up in these little tiny outfits and, um, you'd make her day. She would, huh?" he addressed Emmy who kept smiling but if you looked closely, her eyes were shooting daggers.

Susan ceded reluctantly. "Okay. Come on in."

"All right. All right!" Dean grinned, pushing his sister forward.

As soon as Susan turned her back on them, Emmy pushed their hands away and shot them both a death glare that was enough to get them shaking in their boots. _I hate you_ , she mouthed before turning away. She walked around the room watching the dolls with their piercing eyes that seemed to follow her everywhere. They all had the same outfits on, old vintage dresses, white knee socks and black Maryjane's. Their skin tone was as white as the sheets of Ava's bed. Emmy closed her eyes, _that_ was an image she was trying to forget.

"Wow," Dean whistled. "This is a lot of dolls. I mean, they're nice, you know. Not super creepy at all."

"Yeah, I suppose they are a little creepy." Susan chuckled lightly.

 _Just a little?_ Emmy wondered.

"But they've been in the family forever. A lot of sentimental value."

Sam was fascinated with a particular large dollhouse. "What is this? The hotel?"

"Yeah, that's right," Susan nodded. "Exact replica, custom built."

Emmy continued watching the dolls. There was one that had dark blonde curls, reminding her of Maggie. She leaned her face closer to doll, almost daring it to move, blink or do something so she would have an excuse to destroy each one of those porcelain monsters. Two hands suddenly grabbed her by the waist and Emmy screamed, almost jumping out of her skin.

Dean snickered. "Rules are _no sounds_ , not even screaming. But you're cute so I'll give you another chance."

Emmy was fuming. Dean thought it was adorable seeing her getting all worked up. He reached out to ruffle her hair when Emmy kicked his shin. He winced, holding his leg, that hurt like a bitch.

"Guess I should've seen that one coming," he murmured through gritted teeth as he watched his sister turning away.

Sam ignored his siblings and leaned down to pick up a broken doll, frowning. "His head got twisted around. What happened to it?"

"Tyler, probably," Susan brushed off just as her daughter came running in. "Mommy! Maggie's being mean."

Susan rolled her eyes. "Tyler, tell her I said to be nice, okay?"

"Oh, hey Emmy!" Tyler grinned.

Emmy waved.

"Hey Tyler." Sam smiled. "I see you broke your doll. You want me to fix it?"

"I didn't break it. I found it like that."

Sam's eyebrows bunched together. "Oh. Well, uh, maybe Maggie did it."

"No, neither of us did it," she mentioned with a shake of her head. "Grandma would get mad if we broke 'em."

Susan ran her hand through her daughter's hair. "Tyler, she wouldn't get mad."

"Grandma?" Dean repeated.

"Grandma Rose. These were all her toys," Tyler explained.

Dean exchanged a quick glance with his brother, they might be on to something here. "Oh. Really. Where's Grandma Rose now?"

"Up in her room."

"You know, I'd, I'd uh, I'd really love to talk to Rose about her incredible doll —" Sam started when Susan cut him off.

"No!" Realizing, she came on too strong, Susan cleared her throat. "I mean, I'm afraid that's impossible. My mother's been very sick and she's not taking any visitors."

Both brother didn't fail to notice how she was nervously wringing her hands. Oh, they were definitely on to something.

"Emmy, you wanna play on the swings?" Tyler asked excitedly.

The blonde looked at her brothers, silently asking their permission.

"Go ahead," Sam waved his hand around. "Be back by six, alright?"

Emmy nodded, already following Tyler when she stopped dead in her tracks. She turned around and looked back at her brothers.

Dean smirked. "Fine, we'll put a stop to the game but only for –" he didn't even get the chance to finish his sentence when Emmy already opened the gates, chattering away.

Susan gave them a knowing look. "Let me guess, the silence game?"

Dean clicked his tongue. "Best game ever."

 **SPN**

"So if you're always on the road, when do you go to school?" Tyler asked as she swung back and forth on the swing.

"I don't, I'm homeschooled," Emmy replied, lifting her feet up to get higher in the air. "My brother Sam is like my tutor, he's super smart, he even went to Stanford."

"Whoa," Tyler reacted in amazement. "You're really lucky to have brothers. I don't have any siblings at all. My mom says it's because she can't have any but I think it's because of my Dad."

"What about your Dad?" Emmy asked.

Tyler started swinging more slowly. "He's gone."

Emmy dragged her feet into the dirt to stop her swing. "My Dad's gone, too."

Tyler looked up at the sky, her brown eyes sparkling in the sunlight. "Do you miss him?"

"Every day," Emmy's voice was soft and quiet.

"At least we still got our mothers."

Emmy swallowed hard, blinking away the tears. "Uhm, I lost my Mom, too …"

Tyler looked down at her friend, suddenly not knowing what to say. "Oh, I-I'm sorry, Emmy."

The ten year old rubbed her eyes, forcing those tears to stay dry. "No it's okay, I'm over it … kinda … I think…"

"Whatcha girls talkin' about?"

Both girls jumped a little when Maggie appeared in front of them out of nowhere. Emmy could've sworn she didn't hear or see the girl coming, it's like one second she wasn't there and then the next _BAM!_

Emmy shot the girl a glare of warning. "You really need to stop doing that."

"Our parents," Tyler answered, picking up the pace on her swing.

"Can I ask you a question? Where are you parents?" Emmy wanted to know. She noticed the girl was always here and from what she heard she seemed to be around for quite some time.

Maggie twirled a finger in her hair and just laughed. Emmy was momentarily confused, what was so funny about that?

"Can I ask you a question? Why are you glowing?" Maggie asked.

Emmy knitted her brows. "Glowing?"

"Mhmm, can I touch it?" Maggie didn't even wait for an answer as she already lifted her hand.

"Hey!" Emmy jumped out of the swing, away from Maggie's touch. "What do you think you're doing?"

Maggie shrugged as if nothing was wrong. "I just wanna know how it feels like. So how come you can see me?"

"Cuz you're standing right in front of me, duh," Emmy scoffed. What is wrong with this girl?

Maggie tilted her head to the side, her eyes trailing up and down Emmy's body making her feel uncomfortable. "Mhmm, that's weird … your light is pulsing … Does that happen when you're mad or irritated?"

Emmy shot Tyler a strange look. "Seriously, what is wrong with her?"

Tyler merely lifted up her shoulders as she continued swinging back and forth. "She says funny stuff like that all the time."

"So can I touch it? Pretty please?"

"No!" Emmy stepped away from Maggie but the girl simply followed her, thinking it was a game. "Get away from me!"

Maggie started giggling, not the sweet kind but the creepy kind. She started running after Emmy, trying to catch her.

Tyler jumped between the two girls, stopping the curly haired girl with one look. "Maggie, stop it. She doesn't like it."

Maggie laughed. "But _I_ like it. And you should, too."

"Well, I don't, and clearly Emmy doesn't either. Besides, we're already kinda playing with the swings so …"

"You wanna play with _her_ instead of _me,_ " Maggie scowled.

"No that's not what I said, I mean we can take turns using the swings, right Emmy?"

Emmy merely nodded as she never took her eyes away from Maggie. That girl seemed off, like really off. She even shivered a little whenever those cold eyes looked her way.

Maggie stomped her little foot on the grass, startling the girls. "But I wanna play with _you,_ not with this stupid, ugly girl!" she spat, sending Emmy a dirty look.

"Hey! What is your problem?" Emmy snapped. That was so uncalled for, why was she being so rude to her it's not like Emmy ever did anything to her.

"You're my problem." Maggie placed her hands on her hips, fixing Emmy with a death glare. "You've only been here for a day and you're already taking away my friend."

"Maggie, that's not true," Tyler butted in.

"Yeah, we were just playing on the swings," Emmy pacified. "Why don't you just chill out."

The corners of Maggie's lips twitched in a sly smirk. "Why don't you just go away, you pathetic orphan."

Emmy never understood how words could cut like a knife until she felt like someone just ripped her apart. She didn't want to admit how hard those words struck her, she knew she had no parents, it was the first thought in her mind when she woke up and the last when she went to sleep. But to hear someone say it out loud, and then making it sound like it was such a humiliation, hurt more than words could ever express.

Tyler gasped. "Maggie! That was mean! Apologize."

"No, it's okay, Tyler. I'm just gonna get back inside, I'm not really in the mood to play anyway." Emmy turned to leave before the tears surfaced.

"No, Emmy wait!" Tyler tried to stop her but it was too late.

"Hey, look now we got the swings all to ourselves!" Maggie laughed, acting like nothing just happened.

 **SPN**

Emmy was on the bed, lying on her stomach, resting her face on the palm of her hands while her feet swung lazily. She was aimlessly flipping through the channels without really watching while her brothers sat at the table discussing their next move.

"Well, what do you think? Dolls, hoodoo, mysterious shut-in grandma?" Dean listed off.

"Well," Sam started, "dolls are used in all kinds of voodoo and hoodoo, like curses, and binding spells."

"Yeah, maybe we've found our witch doctor." Dean stood up and grabbed his leather jacket. "All right, I'll see what I can go dig up on boomin' Granny. You go get online, check old obits, freak accidents, that sort of thing, see if she's whacked anybody before."

"Right." Sam nodded, already reaching for his laptop.

"Don't go surfing porn, that's not the kind of whacking I mean," Dean winked.

"Dude, watch what you're saying," Sam admonished, gesturing to their baby sister.

Dean sighed as he watched Emmy impassively watching cartoons. "Am I the only one feeling guilty about taking advantage of her gullibility?"

Sam followed his brother's eyes. "Yeah, I guess we took it a little overboard with this game. How about we call it quits."

"Besides, I think we got through the worst," Dean chuckled to himself. "Hey, cutie pie!"

Emmy looked away from the screen, lifting her head up enough to catch the sight of her brothers across the room.

"Game's over, you win!"

The brothers watched as her blue eyes flickered between them before she replied with a straight face, "Okay." And then got back to watching Loony Tunes.

"Uh, not the reaction we were expecting," Sam spoke.

"You think the sugar's wearing off?" Dean asked.

"Not so sure," Sam muttered. "Hey, honey why don't you tell us about your new friends?"

"Yeah, what have you girls been up to huh?" Dean asked as he walked over to her.

"Nothing," she mumbled, never looking away from the television.

"I thought Tyler said you were going to play on the swings?" Dean grabbed one of her small feet, tickling it lightly, anything to bring a smile to that pretty face.

"Dean, leave me alone!" Emmy kicked her foot away, tucking her legs underneath her.

Dean however didn't listen and let his fingers trail up her sides to her armpits, her most ticklish spots. "Not until you tell me something about your afternoon."

Emmy groaned, rolling away to the other side of the bed, away from her brother. "I said, leave me alone."

That's when Dean knew something more was up. He grabbed her hand, forcefully sliding her over to him. Emmy tried to get away but she was no match against her brother's strength. Dean tucked her against him, brushing her hair away from her face. "Okay, talk to me. What's gotten your panties in a bunch, huh?"

"Honey, did something happen?" Sam asked gently as he sat at the foot of the bed.

"No."

Sam sighed. "You wanna tell us what's wrong?"

"No."

"Is it the girls?"

"… No."

The brief hesitance was enough to answer her brothers.

"Is it something they've said or done? You know you can tell us, right?" Sam tried to lift up her chin to make eye contact but she simply jerked away.

"Just go away, I don't wanna talk about it," she mumbled with her chin tucked against her chest, avoiding their demanding stares.

"Hey," Dean squeezed her a little, "we're not going anywhere until you tell us what's wrong."

"Fine," she pushed away from them and started for the bathroom, "then I'll go," she said before locking the door behind her.

Dean started going after her when Sam stopped him.

"Give her some space, she'll come around," he commended.

Rolling his sleeves up, Dean started for the door instead until Sam stopped him again.

"Uh, where the hell do you think you're going?"

"Where do you think I'm going. I'm gonna confront those girls, that's what," Dean seethed, opening the door.

Sam slammed his hand down on the wooden surface, shutting the door. "No, you're not. They're just kids Dean."

His brother scoffed. "So? The way I see it, those little monsters did something to upset my baby, no one upsets my baby and gets away with it."

Sam moved to stand in front of the door, effectively blocking his brother. "You're not thinking this through. They're kids Dean, _kids_."

Dean shot his brother a look, obviously not understanding what the problem was. "Did you not just hear what I said?"

"What are you even gonna do? Beat the answers out of them?" Sam scoffed.

"If I have to – "

"Dean, shut up. They're just being typical girls, being mean is like their specialty." Sam grabbed his brother's shoulders, turning him towards the door. "Now how about you gather as much information as you can about grandma Rose, and let me deal with Emmy."

Dean opened his mouth to protest but already got pushed into the hallway with the door slammed in his face.

Sam stuck his head out one second later. "Get us some food while you're at it and Dean, stay away from those girls."

Dean held up his hands. "No promises."

Sam rolled his eyes, muttering, "Talk about overprotective."

 **SPN**

Since she was already in the bathroom, Emmy decided to take a shower, anything to get Maggie's words out of her head. Emmy never really thought of herself as a person that took things personally or got easily offended. Growing up with an absent father who was a pro at making false promises, she learned to never take someone's words at heart. It was an act out of caution, to prevent getting hurt. Life was so much easier if you didn't expose your feelings for anyone to play with. But sometimes, when she wasn't paying enough attention, those feelings got out and got themselves vulnerable to any kind of attack.

When Maggie pointed out what she really was, _an orphan_ , it felt like she had found a way to worm her way in to attack Emmy right where it hurt. And even though Emmy wanted to forget about it, she couldn't ignore the impact those words had, they did something to her. It wasn't the term of the word that bothered her, it was the meaning of it and the way Maggie said it. Emmy felt like she was the most pathetic disgrace to walk on the face of the earth. As if she didn't even have a purpose to breath in the air, to exist, … to be alive.

Without any parent, a child was nothing.

That's what Emmy associated with the word _orphan_ , because irrational beliefs are the results of irrational thoughts no matter what the logical part of her mind tried to tell her.

Emmy didn't know how long she was standing under the water but decided to get out. She covered herself in her bathrobe and emerged from the bathroom. She was half-expecting one of her brothers to fire questions at her but she sighed in relief when she noticed it was only Sam in the room. He looked up from his laptop and flashed her a small smile. He didn't say or do anything which Emmy appreciated.

She walked over to him and wordlessly handed him her hairbrush before turning around, letting her long, wet hair cascade down her back. She felt Sam grab her hips, pulling her between his knees so he could comb her hair. She never quite understood how he could get all the knots out with being so gentle. No matter how Emmy combed her hair, she could never get rid of those knots on her own.

"Braid or loose?" Sam asked, it was the first thing he said to fill the silence.

"Braid," Emmy answered, handing him the hair-tie around her wrist. She thanked him when he was done and took a seat at the table.

Sam pushed a paper bag towards her. "Dean brought you something to eat. It's your favorite, chicken nuggets, I even told him to lay off on the salad."

Emmy supported her head on her palm in a nonchalantly way, her bare toes barely grazing the floor. "Not really hungry."

Sam didn't react on it, knowing that it would distract them from what really should be discussed.

He shut the laptop and rested his arms on the table. "So, you wanna talk about it."

He smiled to himself when she wiggled her button nose, something she always did when she was uncomfortable or nervous.

"It's okay, honey, you don't need to tell me now, just know that I'll always – "

"Sammy, you think I'm ugly?" she cut him off. "Or stupid?"

Sam was lightly thrown off. If that's what those girls told her, then they should be more creative because his sister was nowhere near those descriptions. "Honey are you serious right now?"

"I know what you're about to say, alright. But I don't want you to answer me as a brother, I want an honest answer."

Sam snorted in disbelief. "Emmy, why would Dean and I lie about you being cute and smart?"

"Because you're my brothers, you're supposed to say stuff like that."

Sam reached for her hands, engulfing them in his large ones. "Honey, you're gorgeous, and no I'm not saying that because you're my sister, I'm saying it because it's true. And don't you dare let anyone tell you otherwise. If anything, those girls are just jealous and honestly, they should be cuz have you looked at yourself in the mirror recently?"

Emmy felt a warm blush creep up her cheeks as she averted her eyes from her brother's.

"And why would you even start to think you're stupid?"

"I don't know," she mumbled. "It's been a long time since I was in school, I don't have anyone to compare myself to, so how do I know that maybe I'm not that smart?"

"Well if you're stupid, then how do you explain all the straight A's, huh?" Sam countered.

Her silence was the only answer he got. Sam couldn't believe his sister would even let those words get to her. She was smarter than that, she wouldn't just put her heart on her sleeve like that, unless …

"Honey, why don't you tell me what's really been bothering you."

Emmy cursed her stupid tear ducts, they never listened to her command. She sniffed, blinking to mask the tears brimming her eyes. Sam sighed and pulled her to him, lifting her up on his knee.

"Hey," he whispered gently into her wet hair, "you know you can tell me anything, right?"

"She, she told me I was a, a – " Emmy had a hard time saying the word out loud as her throat started closing up, "an orphan, a pathetic orphan," she choked out.

"Oh, Emmy. Hey, it's okay," Sam shushed her as he let her softly cry into his shoulder. "Which one of the girls told you that?"

"M-Maggie," she sobbed. "I d-don't even know why s-she said it, I n-never did anything to h-her."

"Well, that wasn't nice of her." Sam said softly, kissing her temple as he caught a tear with his thumb. "But hey, there's nothing wrong with being an orphan, you know I'm an orphan, too. So is Dean and even Mom and Dad. A lot of people don't have their parents anymore but that doesn't make them bad persons."

Emmy used the sleeve of her bathrobe to wipe at her nose. "Mom and Dad were orphans, too? I didn't know that."

"You'd be surprised how many people lost their parents, but that's okay, it just makes us stronger and braver."

The way her brother put it made Emmy realize that getting the label of being an orphan maybe didn't sound as bad as she thought. Sam was right, it meant she was more self-reliant and tougher. Maybe she shouldn't be feeling sad about it but proud, proud of managing on her own without her parents.

"It's just the way she said it," Emmy sniffed, leaning her head on her brother's chest, her fingers going over the Iron Man design on his cast. "Like I was some disgrace."

"If anything, she's the one sounding like a disgrace."

Emmy chewed on her lips with a pensive expression. "Yeah, I think she has some issues."

Sam looked down at her, his hand absently running up and down her arm. "Why's that?"

Emmy shrugged. "I don't know, she's just weird. She said I was _glowing_ and that she wanted to touch me."

Sam raised a single eyebrow. "Okay, that _is_ weird."

"Also when I asked about her parents she started laughing maniacally and then she blamed me for taking away her friend, that's when she started calling me names."

"Oh, yeah, that girl definitely has some issues," Sam agreed. "That's why you shouldn't listen to the things she says, alright. She only wishes to be half as beautiful and intelligent as you are."

"Thanks." Emmy smiled, leaning up to kiss his cheek.

"Why don't you get dressed and get ready for bed, I know you're exhausted," he said as he gently put her on her feet, nudging her towards the bathroom.

"Okay," she nodded without a fuss, proving that she _was_ indeed exhausted. Emmy stopped right at the bathroom door and turned around. "Hey Sammy?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm really sorry about Ava."

"Don't be, it's not your fault, honey."

"It's not your fault either." Emmy shot her brother a meaningful look before closing the door.

Sam wished he could push the guilt aside but it wasn't that easy. He felt responsible for Ava's disappearance and her dead fiancé. Maybe he shouldn't have looked for her, he should've stayed away. Sam cursed himself for not having learned his lesson yet, he never should involve people into his life because that never ended well. All these people he couldn't save will always haunt him, torment him day and night. It's why he couldn't just let it go, he was to blame so he would be damned if he didn't fix it, he just had to find Ava.

When Emmy was dressed, he managed to get her to eat a bit before letting her go to bed. As soon as she put her head on the pillow, she was out like a light. Sugar overdoses could do that to you. The silence, filled with his sister's soft breathing in the background left Sam alone with his thoughts. It didn't take long when he was pulled out of his reveries by police sirens and ambulances pulling up at the hotel. Sam peeked out of the window, noticing a coroner cart being wheeled away.

Another death? Right under the same roof? How could this have possibly happened? Is this how things were going right now, people dropping around him like flies? All because he couldn't save them?

 **SPN**

Dean had waited until everyone left the scene and he got all the info he needed before he made it back up to their room. He unlocked the door and opened it to find darkness except for the moonlight seeping in through the curtains. He softly closed the door behind him, looking around the room. Sam was sitting on a chair with his back facing away from Dean. Emmy was sleeping in one of the beds, her chest rising and falling with every breath she took.

"There's been another one. Some guy just hung himself in his room," Dean said quietly as to not wake his sister up. He walked over to her and sat down on the edge of the bed.

"Yeah. I saw," was Sam's only reply.

"She okay?" Dean asked as he stroked the side of Emmy's face.

"She's fine."

"We've gotta figure this out, and fast. What'd you find out about Granny?"

Sam snorted. "You're the boss."

Dean looked up from his sleeping sister. "What?"

"You're bossy … and short," he laughed sloppily.

Dean narrowed his eyes, really taking in his brother for the first time since he entered. Sam was slumped in his chair, his hair in disarray, wearing a miserable expression. "Are you drunk?"

"Yeah," Sam scoffed dryly before shooting his brother a challenging glare. "So? Stupid."

Dean looked around, only now noticing the multiple empty bottles around the room. "You've been drinking while you were supposed to keep watch on your ten year old sister? We don't have a lot of rules but I thought we agreed on never getting drunk in front of _her!_ "

Emmy moaned, shifting under the sheets.

Dean bit his tongue, reminding himself to lower his voice. He rubbed her back a little until he was sure she was asleep.

"Relax, she hasn't seen a thing."

Dean's head snapped up, shooting daggers at his brother. " Dude, what were you even thinking? We're working a case."

Sam's face fell, his teary eyes holding nothing but guilt and agony. "That guy who hung himself. I couldn't save him."

"What are you talking about? You didn't know, you couldn't have done anything."

Sam shifted his gaze to his brother. "That's an excuse, Dean. I should have found a way to save him. I should have saved Ava too."

Dean let out a long-suffering sigh as he closed the distance between himself and his brother. "Yeah, well, you can't save everyone. Even you said that."

Sam lashed out, slamming the table causing Emmy to stir. Dean grabbed his brother's shoulders, pushing him back. He glanced at Emmy who turned on her stomach and held his breathe until he was sure she hadn't woken up.

He gave his brother one last shake before releasing him. "Keep it down!" he whisper-yelled.

Sam's eyes were wide and shallow, his breathing rapid. "Dean, you don't understand, all right? The more people I save, the more I can change!"

"Change what?" Dean asked with furrowed brow.

Leaning forward, Sam grabbed onto the armrests, his knuckles turning white. "My destiny, Dean!"

Dean wetted his lips, pressing them into a thin line. "All right. Time for bed. Come on, Sasquatch." He hauled Sam up by the shoulders. "Come on."

"I need you to watch out for me," Sam said as he tried to hold his brother's gaze.

Dean looked away. "Yeah. I always do."

"No! No, no, no." Sam shrugged out of his brother's hold, almost stumbling. "You have to watch out for me, all right? And if I ever ... turn into something that I'm not ..." with wet eyes and quivering lips he continued, "you have to kill me."

Dean's shoulders slumped. "Sam –"

"Dean!" Sam cried, fisting his collar. "Dad told you to do it, you have to."

"Yeah, well, Dad's an ass," Dean commented with twisted lips. "He never should have said anything. I mean, you don't do that, you don't, you don't lay that kind of crap on your kids."

"No!" Sam snarled with a wide stance. "He was right to say it! Who knows what I might become? Even now, everyone around me dies!"

"Yeah, well, Emmy and I are not dying, okay? And neither are you," Dean dismissed, hoping to put an end to this scene. Now was not the right time and definitely not the right place, he thought as he shot his sister another glance, glad she was still sleeping. "Come on."

Sam's hand curled around Dean's jacket. "No, please! Dean, you're the only one who can do it. Promise."

Dean finally managed to push him down on the bed. "Don't ask that of me."

Sam's eyes darted between his, begging. "Dean, please. You have to promise me."

Dean pinched his nose, shutting his eyes. He was so going to regret this. "I promise."

Sam let out a long breath in relief. He reached up and grabbed Dean's face between both hands. "Thank you. You are – "

Batting his brother's hands away, Dean rolled his eyes. "All right. Come on."

"What's going on?"

Dean looked up at the sound of the soft voice. Emmy sat up in bed, rubbing at her eyes.

"Sweetheart, go back to sleep."

Sam however stretched his arm, reaching for her. "Emmy, c'mere, I need to tell you something."

"No!" Dean intercepted. "Emmy go back to bed."

The youngest Winchester looked between her brothers, confused. "What's wrong with him?"

"He's, he's just tired that's all." Dean smiled reassuringly but Emmy didn't seem convinced.

"You know they called her an orphan, that's why she was upset," Sam slurred, drifting in an out of consciousness.

Dean crouched on the side of Emmy's bed, cupping her face. "That true?"

Emmy bit the inside of her cheek. "It's okay, Maggie's just being stupid anyway."

"Damn right she is." Dean traced her jawline with his thumb, holding her eyes. "Want me to set her straight?"

"No, that's okay, I just don't think I'll hang out with her anymore."

"You sure? Cuz if she bothers you again, kid or not, I'll make sure she'll wish she never picked on you."

Emmy's eyes crinkled as she half-smiled. "I'm sure, Dean."

Her brother leaned forward, dropping a kiss between her eyebrows.

"You know Emmy – " Sam started.

Dean pulled away with tensed jaw, he had expected his brother had already fell asleep but he was clearly wrong. Drunk Sam was torture and he almost didn't want to know what else his brother had to say. But nothing could prepare him for what Sam blurted out next.

"You're not really an orphan."

"What?" Emmy asked just as Dean jumped up.

"Okay, that's enough, big guy," he chuckled nervously. "Seriously Sam, go to sleep," he added in a harsh tone.

Sam merely ignored his brother and went on. "I mean Dad is gone, but not _yours_ if you know what I mean."

Emmy was utterly confused. "What are you talking about?"

"Nothing!" Dean shot her an easy grin, adjusting Sam's pillow while all he wanted was to suffocate his brother with it, maybe that would shut him up. "Like I said, sweetheart, he's tired, he doesn't know what he's saying. Isn't that right Sammy?"

Sam, oblivious of everything being said, continued. "I mean I don't know who he is but he might still be around or – "

Dean was running out of options and did the only thing he could do. He covered Sam's mouth with his hand and leaned down to whisper in his ear, "If you don't shut up right now, so help me god, I will _rip_ your tongue out."

Emmy crawled out of bed, her face drawn in confusion. "I don't understand."

"Don't pay too much attention to him, Emmy," Dean advised.

"He's not really tired, is he." She wasn't really asking a question, it was more of a statement. Emmy had noticed the bottles and wrinkled her nose at the smell of alcohol lingering in the air. "He's drunk."

Dean didn't lift up his hand until Sam seemed to have finally passed out. He threw his head back and let out a long heavy sigh. That was close, too damn close. Dean noticed Emmy picking up one of the bottles and took it out of her reach. He started cleaning them up not wanting to expose his baby sister to this kind of stuff. When he was done he made sure to leave one of the windows open to bring in some fresh air into the room.

Emmy had perched herself at Sam's head, stroking his hair as she looked down at his peaceful face. The worry lines marring his face always softened whenever he was asleep, giving him the appearance of someone younger, someone who hadn't gone through any hardship, someone who hadn't seen any horror. Her heart really went out to her brother. He was such a wonderful and admirable person with only good intentions. He was victim of the Winchester curse, always feeling the need to give everything for nothing. It was time he put himself first for once before guilt consumed him.

Dean had gone to the bathroom to get ready for bed while Emmy crawled back into her own bed, scooting over to the side to create some space. Not more than five minutes later, her oldest brother emerged from the bathroom. He quickly checked the salt lines, made sure the doors were locked and his knife was in arm's reach before plopping down in bed.

Emmy watched as he tiredly rubbed at his forehead, as if trying to rid of those hard lines.

"Dean?"

"Mhmm," he hummed.

Emmy started fiddling with her necklace, asking, "Is Sammy gonna be okay?"

Dean threw his brother a sideway glance. "Of course he will, sweetheart."

He realized that Sam had taken his father's words harder than he thought. He couldn't blame him though and a part of him still wished he had never opened his mouth, but that was a little too late. Dean swore to himself that he was going to take care of his brother no matter what. They only had each other and they had to stick together through whatever obstacle life threw at them. And Dean would rather die than ever let his brother get hurt or worse.

"I never saw Sammy drunk before," Emmy remarked softly.

Dean slid his arm under her shoulders, pulling her closer and tucking her head under his chin. "I'm sorry, Emmy, you shouldn't have seen that."

"Does he always say weird stuff when he's drunk?"

"Yeah," Dean swallowed hard, his heart still aching as he thought of what could've happened if Sam had ran his mouth. "Let's just forget about it, okay?"

"'kay," she whispered tiredly, already nodding off. "G'night."

Dean closed his eyes, pressing his lips against the top of her head, taking in the smell of sweet innocence. "Good night, baby."

 **SPN**

Emmy woke up at the sound of someone retching in the bathroom. She looked around and noticed the empty bed. Sighing, she pushed the covers away with her legs. Her sock-clad feet shuffled on the wooden floor as she grabbed the little suitcase where they kept all their medicine and first-aid kit.

She knocked on the bathroom door, pushing it open slowly. Her heart sunk at the sight of her brother hunched over the toilet, his bangs plastered against his forehead. Sam looked pale and a sheen of sweat glistened on his skin.

"Here." Emmy handed him a glass of water and a pill.

"Emmy," Sam groaned. He didn't want her to see him like this. "I'm fine just – " He didn't get the chance to finish when he heaved again.

"You don't look fine," Emmy noted. "Just take this."

Sam reluctantly accepted the pill, swallowing it down with the water. He watched as his sister wetted a washcloth, dabbing it on his forehead and flushed cheeks. The cold touch felt soothing against his warm skin.

Emmy brushed the hair from his eyes, sending him a sad smile. "You look horrible."

Sam snorted. "I'll take that as a compliment."

He looked back up to meet his sister's eyes and hated the sorrow and sympathy he saw in those blue orbs. This wasn't right, she shouldn't be the one taking care of him. Sam was overwhelmed by the strong feelings of guilt and remorse washing over him. It was terrifying when nothing made sense and suddenly life doesn't seem worth it. How did he lose control like that? Not only did he let himself down, he disappointed his siblings. He should have never let his emotions take the upper hand.

"Stop blaming yourself Sammy. Not everything is your fault," Emmy spoke gently. "You're allowed to break down sometimes. No one expects you to be strong 24/7. You can let it go, it's nothing to be ashamed of."

Sam clenched his teeth, trying to swallow down the big lump in his throat. How does this beautiful little girl always know exactly what to say? She made it sound like she understood him, like she could look right through his tough exterior and see what he bottled up inside. Sam still couldn't figure out what he did to deserve an angel like her.

"Thanks, honey." Sam wished he could say or do more to really show how much he appreciated her supportive words but nothing could ever be enough.

"I'm just returning the favor," Emmy smiled. "Also, I would hug you but you're kinda gross, so I'll just wait till you're all cleaned up."

Sam couldn't help but chuckle as he watched her skip out of the bathroom with a wink.

Dean entered not too long after, carrying some breakfast. He found Emmy dressed at the table struggling with her shoestrings.

"Morning," Emmy greeted.

"How's my cutie pie doing?" Dean asked as he leaned down to place a smacking kiss on her cheek. "So do we still need to talk about what happened yesterday?"

"You mean about Maggie or Sammy?" she queried.

Dean took a seat and placed her foot on his lap so he could tie her sneakers. "Whichever you feel the need to talk about."

"Nah, I'm good. I'm gonna spare you the chick flick moments, Sammy already took care of it."

"Yeah, thank god we have Samantha," he teased, wiggling his eyebrows.

"I heard that," Sam commented as he joined them at the table. His hair was still wet from his fresh shower, the water drops trailed from the nape of his neck down under his shirt. The color was back to his face and even though he looked more presentable, it was clear he was still miserable.

"How you feeling, Sammy?" Dean grinned playfully. "I guess mixing whisky and Jäger wasn't such a gangbuster idea, was it?"

Sam groaned, dropping his head onto the table and crossing his arms over the back of his head.

Dean put Emmy's other foot on his lap, working on the shoestrings. "I'll bet you don't remember a thing from last night, do you?"

"Ohh, I can still taste the tequila," was Sam's muffled reply.

Dean smiled a little in relief, glad they could shove that conversation under the rug. "You know, there's a really good hangover remedy – " Dean put Emmy's foot back down and smirked at her, "it's a, it's a greasy pork sandwich served up in a dirty ashtray."

Emmy shook her head at her brother. "You're mean."

Sam dry heaved. "Oh, I hate you."

"I know you do," Dean snickered. "Hey, turns out when Grandma Rose was a tyke, she had a Creole nanny who wore a hoodoo necklace."

Sam picked up his head, still holding a hand over his eyes as if the morning light was too harsh. "So you think she taught Rose hoodoo?"

"Yes I do," Dean confirmed.

Emmy was about to take a bite from her granola bar when Dean snatched it out of her hand.

"Hey!" she protested.

Dean pointed at the wrapper with the picture of strawberries. "Unless you wanna puff up and get itchy all over, I advise you take the one with the raisins."

"You're such a party pooper," Emmy grumbled, taking the other granola bar.

"All right," Sam got to his feet with difficulty. "I think it's time we talked to Rose, then."

Emmy jumped out of her chair. "Ooh, I wanna go with you guys!"

 **SPN**

 _Here we are again, invading someone's privacy,_ Emmy thought as they entered Susan's room. At least this time they knocked first. Entering the playroom, Emmy felt like the dolls' eyes were on them, following every step they took. A shiver ran up her spine as they walked past them. There was a door in the back, leading to a dimly lit staircase. Emmy was about to go up when a hand pulled her back.

Sam give her a knowing look and let Dean take the lead before he let her go so he could bring up the rear. The siblings crept upstairs to the end of another hallways and into a small room whose door was ajar. As they quietly got in, they found an old woman in a wheelchair, covered in a blanket as she faced the rainy window.

"Mrs. Thompson?" Sam approached cautiously. "Rose? Hi, Mrs. Thompson, we're not here to hurt you, it's okay. Rose?"

The woman didn't respond. Emmy noticed her hands trembling, her sunken eyes glazed over in a far looking gaze. Inching closer to her brother, Emmy half-hid behind Dean. She was never really fond of old people.

"This woman's had a stroke," Sam whispered in realization as he took in the old lady.

"Yeah, but hoodoo's hands-on," Dean voiced his confusion. "I mean, you've got to mix herbs, and chant, and build an altar."

Sam was of the same mind. "Yeah. So it can't be Rose."

"Maybe it's not even hoodoo," Emmy suggested quietly, still not risking to let go of her human shield.

"Or she could be faking," Dean insinuated.

"Yeah, what are you gonna do, poke her with a stick?" Sam replied sarcastically. When Dean seemed like he would go for it, Sam huffed in disbelief. "Dude! You're not gonna poke her with a stick!"

"What the hell! What are you doing in here?"

Emmy gasped, surprised. How didn't they hear Susan coming? Sam and Dean proceeded to stammer lame excuses while she rushed to her mother.

"Look at her, she is scared out of her wits." She fixed the Winchesters with a stern glare. "I want you out of my hotel in two minutes or I'm calling the cops."

Not wanting to make matters worse, the three left without hesitation.

 **SPN**

Emmy was kind of relieved they were leaving, this place was giving her the creeps. She stopped packing when someone knocked on their door.

Dean went to answer it, looking down to see Tyler shifting on her feet with her hands crossed behind her back. "Uhm, hi mister Winchester, uh is Emmy here?"

Dean's eyes narrowed. "What do you need her for? And where's your sidekick?"

Emmy pushed her brother aside. "Dean it's okay." When her brother didn't budge nor take his hostile eyes off of Tyler, she cleared her throat.

Dean got the message and left the two alone. Emmy sighed and walked into the hallway, closing the door behind her.

She didn't know what to say and opted with a simple "Hey."

"Hey," Tyler half-smiled, picking at the hem of her skirt. "I just wanted to apologize about what happened the other day. That was really uncalled-for and Maggie shouldn't have said any of those rude words to you, because you're not ugly or stupid at all. In fact I think you're kinda cool and I also like you hair," she admitted shyly. "I hope you're not mad at me. I'm really _really_ sorry."

Emmy picked at the skin around her nails and thought about it. "Tyler, you don't need to apologize, you're not the one I'm mad at, it's Maggie. Besides, I think you're kinda cool too, and your hair's also pretty," she smiled, tugging at the girl's ponytail.

Tyler grinned. "Does that mean we can be friends?"

"Sure," Emmy nodded.

"Awesome! You wanna go to the pool?"

Emmy was hesitant. "Uh, we're actually leaving right now."

Tyler's small shoulders sagged in disappointment. "You, too? How about we just play until your brothers are packed and checked out."

"I don't know, I'll have to ask them first." Emmy tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "Also, I don't think I want Maggie to –"

"Oh no! It'll be just you and me. I promise." Tyler sounded hopeful.

Emmy watched Tyler hopping from foot to foot, impatiently waiting. She let out a long breath and decided to give in.

"Okay."

Tyler's eyes lit up. "Yay!"

 **SPN**

"So where's Maggie?" Emmy wondered as she perched herself on the edge of the pool, letting her bare legs swing in the water.

Tyler threw a plastic ball in the air, aiming for the basket floating in the water. "I don't know. She was mad and then just left."

"Mad about what?" Emmy asked, taking a shot with her own ball, successfully scoring.

Tyler lowered herself next to Emmy. "She was just angry because my mom wants to leave."

"What about Maggie? I mean, where is she gonna stay if you leave?"

Tyler shrugged sadly, throwing another ball. "I told her to come with us but she doesn't want to. She wants to stay here."

Emmy splashed her feet in the water. "What about you? You wanna leave?"

"It's all I want," Tyler admitted. "This place hasn't been fun since Grandma got sick. Mom says moving will do her good."

"I never really liked your mother."

Both girls spun around to see Maggie staring down at them.

"How did she – where did you – _how_ do you do that?" Emmy sputtered. If she didn't know any better, she'd think this girl was a ghost or something, moving around with no sound and appearing out of the blue.

 **SPN**

Susan walked outside, placing her stuff in the trunk of her car just as Sherwin pulled up in his red pickup truck.

"I can lug those boxes for you," he offered.

Susan smiled distractedly. "I got it, Sherwin, thanks."

"Okay then. See you later." The bald man nodded before driving off.

A sudden gust of wind blew Susan's hair in her face. She hastily pushed her bangs away when she noticed the swingset moving on its own. She carefully approached the playground and frowned when all the playsets were moving. Susan put her hand on the teeter-totter to stop it.

A little further down, Sam and Dean were putting their belongings in the Impala. Dean closed the trunk and looked up at the inn for one last time before moving to the driver's side.

"Ready?"

"Yeah, I'm just gonna get Emmy," Sam said, walking back to the hotel when Susan's car suddenly revved its engine, coming straight at her. Sam's reflexes kicked in and before he knew it, he tackled her out of the way.

"Are you okay?" he panted, helping her back up.

Susan was breathing hard, her eyes wild and shocked. "I – I think so."

Dean ran up to them, sharing a look with his brother. This case was so not finished. "Come on, come on. Let's get inside, let's go."

 **SPN**

"How come _you'_ re still here?" Maggie spat. "I thought you were leaving."

"I am," Emmy shot back, not hiding the venom in her tone. "Don't worry I'll be out of your hair in no time."

Maggie got in the way, blocking her. "Not so fast, Annie."

"Okay, now you crossed the line," Emmy fumed. "I don't know why you hate me, at first I guessed it was because you thought I was _stealing_ your best friend, which sounds ridiculous by the way, but now I think there's more."

"Damn right there's more!"

Tyler jumped up. "Maggie, watch it."

"No, you don't understand!" she yelled, pushing her friend away. "This is all _her_ fault!"

Emmy was baffled. "What are you talking about?"

Maggie took a defiant step closer to the blonde. "Your brothers couldn't keep their noses in their own business, that's what I'm talking about. You Winchesters just decided to show up here and ruin everything!" she pointed an accusing finger at Emmy. " _You'_ re the reason they're leaving! _You_ 're the reason my best friend's leaving!"

"Okay, you're clearly out of your mind. I'm outta here." Emmy started leaving. "Bye Tyler."

"No, Emmy, wait." Tyler grabbed Emmy's hand, spinning her back around. "Maggie doesn't mean a thing she just said."

"Uh, yes I do," Maggie came between.

"No you don't," Tyler stressed.

Maggie narrowed her cold eyes. "Are you siding with _her_ now? You picking Emmy over _me_!"

"That's not what she said," Emmy said, trying to take the edge off.

" _You,"_ Maggie seethed, getting all steamed up.

Emmy pulled up her hands in surrender. "Maggie, please. Let's just put this behind us. I'm leaving and I promise you'll never see or hear from me again – "

"Bla bla bla, why don't you just _shut up_!" Maggie screamed, before addressing Tyler with a hopeful look. "Please don't leave me, I don't want to be alone."

"Why don't you just come with us?" Tyler suggested.

"Because I can't. But I know how we can stay together forever. We'll get to play everything you want and no one will ever bother us."

Suddenly everything happened so fast, Emmy swore if she had blinked, she would've missed it. Before anyone could react, Tyler was suddenly flung into the ice cold water. She kicked her feet, swimming to the surface to gasp for air.

"Maggie! What is wrong with you!" Emmy shouted, kneeling on the tiled floor and lending a hand to Tyler. "Take my hand."

Just as their hands touched, an invisible force suddenly dragged Tyler back down into water.

Emmy's eyes grew in realization as she looked at Maggie. "Y-you're not real, are you."

"For someone who's been in the business, it took you long enough," Maggie commented offhandedly.

Tyler swam back up, gasping for air but got pushed down again.

"Stop it!" Emmy screeched. "Let her go!"

Maggie merely smirked wickedly. "Why don't you join her?" With a flick of her wrist, Emmy suddenly found herself in the pool, too.

 **SPN**

The Winchesters and Susan settled back inside and took a seat at a table in the bar.

"Well, at first we thought it was some sort of hoodoo curse, but that out there? That was definitely a spirit."

Susan thought her eyes were going to fall out of their sockets. She took a sip from her whiskey and shook her head in denial. "You're insane."

Dean snorted. "Yeah, it's been said."

"Look, I'm sorry, Susan," Sam began kindly, "We don't exactly have time to ease you into this, but we need to know when your mother had the stroke."

Susan's eyes drifted between the brothers. "What does that have to do with any—"

"Just answer the question," Sam interrupted.

She sighed, tiredly rubbing her temples. "Uh, about a month ago."

"Right before the killings began. See?" Sam glanced at his brother. "So what if Rose was working hoodoo, but not to hurt anyone. To protect them."

Dean leaned forward in his chair. "She was using the five spot urns to ward off the spirit."

"Right, until she had a stroke and she couldn't anymore," Sam continued.

Susan took another long draw of her drink. "I don't believe this."

"Listen, sister, that car didn't try to run you down by itself, okay? I mean, I guess it did, technically, but, but the spirit can —" Dean trailed off at the weird look he received, "forget it."

"Look, believe what you want," Sam told her genuinely. "But the fact is you and your family are in danger, all right? So you need to clear everybody out of here: your employees, your mother, your daughters, everyone."

Susan raised her eyebrows in confusion. "Um, I only have one daughter."

"One?"

Dean was equally surprised. "Wait, I thought Tyler had a sister named Maggie."

Susan bit her lip. "Maggie's imaginary."

Both Sam and Dean felt like a cold shower washed over them, shaking them to the core.

"Where are the girl?" Sam choked out.

 **SPN**

"Tyler!" Susan yelled, frantically looking around the playroom. The floor was littered with broken dolls and Susan was slowly losing it. "Tyler!"

"Dammit," Dean cursed as he tried to call his baby sister but it always went straight to voicemail. "She's not picking up," he told Sam, his eyes wild with panic.

Susan ran out of the room, breathless. "They're not here."

Sam grabbed Susan's shoulders, an attempt to calm her down. "Tell us what you know about Maggie."

"Uh, not much," she replied with quivering lips. "Um, Tyler's been talking about her since Mom got sick."

"Okay, did you ever know anyone by that name?"

"Think," Dean pushed, his own hard voice betraying the alarm and distress, "I mean, somebody that could have lived here, might have passed away?"

Susan covered her mouth when it suddenly dawned on her. "Oh my god. My mom. My mom had a sister named Margaret. She barely spoke about her."

"Did Margaret happen to die here when she was a kid?" Sam questioned desperately. They needed an answer, and fast.

Susan almost didn't dare to say it loud. "She drowned in the pool."

Dean was already off, leaving them to follow.

 **SPN**

Maggie watched, apathetic, as the two girls trashed about in the water. Every time one of them would some up to gasp for air, she would simply push them back down.

"Tyler!"

Maggie turned her head to see Susan pounding at the door. Sam and Dean appeared behind her and started hammering at the glass door, but in vain. Sam kept trying to break it while Dean and Susan when around the back entrance. Sam looked inside and his stomach dropped when he couldn't spot any of the girls. He looked around and found a potted plant. He pulled the plant out and picked up the heavy pot to pound the door with it.

" _Margaret. Margaret!"_

Maggie closed her eyes, willing herself to ignore the voice. She noticed someone kicking at the backdoor but it hardly budged. She was momentarily distracted by it until Sam finally managed to break through the glass. He wiggled his way through the door, neglecting the sharp pieces of glass grazing his skin. Without hesitation he leaped over the railing and into the pool.

Dean broke through the back door and frantically looked around. Not bothering with his clothes, he joined his brother and jumped into the water. Susan started crying as she nervously awaited for them to surface.

After what felt like ten agonizing minutes, but only were ten seconds, the brothers finally came up with each a girl in their arms. The boys put the girls down before exciting the pool.

Emmy hunched over, coughing up all the water in her lungs. She felt a hand holding her hair back while another hand rhythmically patted her back. Her throat felt sore and her chest burned painfully.

"Tyler!" Susan cried out with tears rolling down her cheeks. She lifted her daughter up in a sitting position, supporting her head. Tyler suddenly coughed up water, breathing heavily. Susan hugged her daughter closely, murmuring "Thank god" over and over again.

Emmy was relieved to see Tyler alive and breathing. She panted, falling against Dean's chest from exhaustion as she still tried to take in as much air as she could. Her brother was whispering soothing words in her ear but Emmy wasn't listening, she was distracted by something else. A man was standing behind one of the glass walls. He was dressed casually, his dark hair combed back and it looked like he was munching on some candy. His warm, brown eyes caught her eye and he winked before suddenly disappearing. For a brief moment Emmy was utterly confused but then decided to blame her mind for playing tricks on her. She was just imagining stuff, possibly an aftereffect of the lack of oxygen.

"Honey, are you okay?" Sam cupped his sister's cheek, forcing her to open her eyes.

"Mhmm, just cold," she mumbled with trembling lips.

Dean shrugged out of his jacket and wrapped it around her. He then enveloped her back in his arms. "It's okay, baby, I got you. I got you," he reassured against her temple.

Sam exchanged a look with his brother, both realizing what could've happened if they hadn't been on time. This was happening more than it should and they couldn't afford letting anything happen to their baby sister. It seemed like the more they involved her into this hunting life, the bigger the risk.

"Tyler, do you see Maggie?" he asked.

Tyler looked up at Sam tiredly and shook her head no.

 **SPN**

Emmy and Taylor sat next to each other on the steps at the entrance of the hotel, both huddled in warm blankets as they watched some paramedics wheeling away a coroner cart with Rose's corpse. The EMT said it was another stroke but the girls knew better. Since Maggie couldn't have Tyler, she went after her own sister, Rose.

"I'm really sorry about your grandmother," Emmy spoke up softly.

Tyler sniffed. "At least she won't be alone, she'll have Maggie."

"Yeah." Emmy nodded thoughtlessly.

"You know, I never understood how you could see her," Tyler said with a hint of puzzlement. "Out of all the kids coming here, you're the only one who noticed my so called imaginary friend."

"Your guess is as good as mine."

"Maybe she _wanted_ you to see her," Tyler thought out loud.

Emmy snorted. "Why? So she could pester me?"

"Yeah she didn't really like you, did she," Tyler giggled.

Emmy chuckled. "Uh, correction, she _hated_ me."

Tyler nudged her with her shoulder. "Hey, _I_ for one like you very much."

"Of course you like me, I'm a delight." Emmy grinned. "My brother Dean says that about himself all the time, only he's wrong when he says it, and I'm right."

The girls laughed until they're names were called. Susan was waiting for her daughter at a taxi while Sam and Dean stood near the Impala.

"Well, I guess this is goodbye," Emmy said as they both stood up.

"I really had fun with you, Emmy." Tyler took her off guard when she hugged the youngest Winchester.

Emmy was hesitant at first, but quickly returned the embrace. The two pulled away and Tyler waved as she went to her mother.

"Hey Tyler!" Emmy called out right before she got inside the taxi. "Next time you have an imaginary friend, you might wanna call us."

Tyler laughed and stuck her tongue out before closing the door.

Emmy wrapped the blanked tighter around herself and got back to the Impala. Sam opened his arms, wordlessly inviting her into his embrace. Without hesitation, Emmy buried herself in his warmth, letting him rub his hands over her back and arms to warm her up.

Dean leaned against the car, turning towards his brother. "Feels good getting back in the saddle, doesn't it?"

"Yeah, it does," Sam agreed quietly before looking at his brother. "But it doesn't change what we talked about last night, Dean."

Dean looked away. "We talked about a lot of things last night."

Emmy lifted up her face from burying it in Sam's warm chest. "Yeah, what was that all about? What did you mean about me not being an orphan?"

Sam shot her a tight smile, tucking her head back against him. "That was just a load of bull, just forget about it Emmy."

Dean's tongue traced his teeth before clenching them. "Yeah, he was wasted."

"But you weren't," Sam reminded him like the determined guy he was. "And you promised."

Dean didn't say anything and got in the car instead. He let out a long breath of exhaustion and hopelessness. He always loved balancing things out between chaos and control. But the fear remained of going one way or another – getting lost in something or losing everything to get lost in it. A part of him wanted to fight against whatever his father thought was going to happen to Sam, but another part wanted to let go of the breaks and see where it all will lead them. He was torn between surrendering to what is and having faith in what will be.

 **A/N: Hi beautiful people! Man, I really need to stop letting myself get carried away like that. I don't know why but once I'm on my laptop and I start typing, it's like I can't stop my fingers and before I know it I'm up to 16k words. I don't know if you guys like these long chapters, if you don't I sincerely apologize. Let me know if you prefer split chapters.**

 **Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Tell me what you liked or didn't like, or if there's anything you would like to see in the future. Also if you have doubts about the man Emmy saw right after her brothers saved her from drowning, it was our favorite archangel ;)**

 **Ps: I know I mentioned this before, but some people keep asking so I figured I'll just say it here so everyone can read it. No, English is not my first language, I learned it by reading a lot and watching movies and shows, listening to music oh and of course my English teacher (who sucked by the way) might have taught me a thing or two :p French is my mother tongue but I was raised in a Dutch country. So I apologize in advance for all the grammar mistakes, if you spot any, please point them out :)**

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

 **don't forget to check out my tumblr** ** _mayremmy_**

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**


	13. Houses of the Holy

**Disclaimer: Supernatural is not mine, I only own my OC Mary-Elisabeth "Emmy" Winchester.**

Emmy dropped her head in her hands in utter defeat as her eyes went over the math problems. No matter how many times she read the example questions, she somehow still couldn't wrap her mind around the logic behind subtracting and adding fractions. She tried her best to focus but her brain wouldn't register anything and on top of that her concentration failed on her. Maybe it was the decoration of the motel room – crimson walls looking like they were covered in blood, decorated with paintings of 'sensual' women who didn't leave much to the imagination. Or maybe it was the weather – raindrops tapped against the windows like some ticking bomb and Emmy knew what was gonna explode, _my frikkin head_. Or maybe it was a certain brother who wouldn't stop pressing the button of the Magic Fingers.

Closing her eyes, Emmy took a deep breath trying to compose herself before exhaling slowly. She was so tempted to beat the living crap out of that controller but she managed to control herself. Instead she decided to get her iPod, music always helped to calm her down. Going through her bag, she frowned when she couldn't find the music player. She looked around, thinking of the last time she used it, when her eyes suddenly caught sight of the missing object … in Dean's hand.

 _Oh no he didn't._

Emmy stomped towards her brother's bed and snatched the earphones away. Dean startled at the sudden lack of music, looking around, confused.

"Hey!" he exclaimed, reaching for the iPod.

"Nuh-uh," Emmy shook her head, inching away from her brother's grasp. "I need those."

Dean leaned up on his elbows. "I thought you were doing your homework."

"Yeah, I _tried_ but you're distracting me," she complained.

Dean scoffed. "How is lying in bed, minding my own business, distracting to you?"

"This stupid machine is loud, it's getting on my nerves. Oh and it's disturbing, like _really_ disturbing," she added throwing a disgusting look at the controller. "Why don't you go out or something? I saw a pretty blonde checking in at the end of the hallway, I'm sure you guys would hit it off."

Dean raised a single eyebrow. "Are you trying to kick me out?"

"I'm sorry, wasn't I being obvious enough? _Yes_ , I want you out. Sammy has given me two sheets of math problems and I haven't even finished the first one and it's all your fault and these stupid Magic Fingers!"

"Whoa, hey." Dean grabbed her fist before she could hit the controller. "Seems like you need some magic touch." He patted the space next to him but Emmy withdrew.

"No," she declined with a firm shake of her head.

"Fine, suit yourself." Dean pressed the button again and lay back down, crossing his arms behind his head. "The offer still stands in case you change your mind."

" _Dean_ ," she whined. "Come on, I know you're on lock down and it's not your fault some shapeshifter got your face on every database, but do you really have to take it out on me?" Dean merely closed his eyes, his lips drawn into a dreamy smile. Emmy snapped her fingers in front of his face. "Hey, I'm talking to you." When she still got no answer, she made a sound of aggravation. "You suck."

This time Dean did open his eyes but for different reasons. He shot a look at the machine and to his dismay he realized that his fifteen minutes were over. He eyed his sister. "Do you have any quarters?"

Emmy knew she still had some in her pocket but decided to lie. "No, you've already used all of 'em."

Dean's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Liar."

"How would you know?" she shot back with a hint of challenge.

"Cuz your hand is on your pocket."

Emmy looked down and realized that her hand was indeed covering her pocket, as if protecting the coins. She was about to open her mouth to shoot him a valid argument when she felt herself being scooped up.

"Hey!" she protested as she tried to worm her way out of her brother's grip. "Dean, stop!"

Her brother held her down on the matrass, his face merely inches away from hers. "Not until you give me the quarters."

Putting up a defiant expression, Emmy stuck to her position. "Never."

"Okay." Dean smirked, wetting his lips. "The hard way or easy way?"

Emmy tilted her head to the side. "What's the difference?"

"Well, the easy way is you giving me your quarters. The hard way is this –"

Emmy shrieked when his fingers tickled her side. "Okay, okay, stop stop."

"So easy way or hard way?"

Emmy held her brother's gaze, catching the amusement in his green orbs. Oh, she was so dead. In the blink of an eye she kneed Dean in the stomach, giving her enough time to throw him off and escape. She should have known that her move probably only grazed him because her freedom was short-lived. She couldn't help but laugh when she was thrown in the air and flipped upside down.

"You really thought you had a chance of booking it?" Dean chuckled.

"Dean, put me down!"

"Give me your quarters first," he negotiated.

"No-o," Emmy giggled, her hair barely touching the ground as she dangled from her brother's grip. She soon realized her response was the wrong one when Dean's fingers tickled the back of her knees.

Dean couldn't help but crack a smile at hearing his sister's laughter. Nothing sounded sweeter to him.

"You surrendering yet?"

Emmy could hardly get a word out as she tried to gasp for air which was hard when you had someone tickling the life out of you. "Put – put me down first," she panted.

Dean reluctantly gave in. He snickered when she swayed a little, her face matching the red walls and her hair in disarray. He noticed she was suppressing her smile, trying to appear stern but her twinkling eyes betrayed her.

Emmy put her hand down her front pocket but made a whole show of finding nothing. Dean rolled his eyes when she tried the other pocket only to come up with nothing again. "Oops," was her only response. She then searched through the back pocket. Her hand lingered for a second too long and Dean knew instantly he was being played with. Just when he wanted to continue his tickle torture, the door opened, revealing the middle Winchester.

"Sammy, help!"

Before Sam could react, Emmy had wrapped her limbs all around him, clinging for dear life. Thinking the worst, his hunter instincts kicked in and he held her close, his body tensing as it prepared for the threat.

"Hey, you're cheating!" Dean exclaimed.

"Am not," Emmy giggled.

"Then why don't you climb down your safety pole and face the real battle."

Sam was momentarily confused but soon noticed that there was no danger at all. Just his sister being a kid and his brother, well his brother was being a kid too. He made a move to put Emmy down but she hung on to him.

"No, don't let me go. He'll kill me," she said as she glared at Dean.

Sam snorted. "No, he won't."

"That's up for debate," Dean muttered under his breath, sending his sister an equally challenging glare.

Sam sighed. "What, she ate your last M&M's again?"

"Oh, it's worse," Dean said as he shot his sister a knowing look.

"He wants my quarters," Emmy elaborated.

Sam eyed his brother with a look that said _are you kidding me right now._

Dean plopped back down his bed, the springs squeaking under his weight. " What can I say, you gotta try this man. I mean there really is magic in the Magic Fingers."

With a roll of his eyes, Sam walked over to the other bed with Emmy still in his arms. "Dean, you're enjoying that way too much. It's kind of making us uncomfortable."

"What am I supposed to do?" Dean wanted to know. "I mean, you've got me on lockdown here, I'm bored out of my skull."

"Hey, you were the bank robber on the eleven o'clock news, not me," Sam reminded him as he adjusted Emmy in his lap. "We can't risk you just walking into a government facility."

"Hmm." Dean didn't sound less annoyed. "So, since I can't rely on my own sister to help me out of a crisis, do you got any quarters?"

Sam put up the best bitch face he could muster. "No!"

Emmy snickered when Dean's face fell. Her oldest brother made a move to get her but she shrieked, hiding behind Sam's back.

"Brat," Dean muttered.

Emmy peeped over Sam's broad shoulders and stuck her tongue out.

"Adorable," Dean fake-smiled before addressing his brother. "So did you get in to see that crazy hooker?"

"Yeah. Gloria Sitnick." Sam couldn't shake off the strange feeling that washed over him when her face popped into his mind. "And I'm not so sure she's crazy."

Dean frowned. "But she seriously believes that she was ... touched by an angel?"

Sam nodded while Emmy played with his hair. "Blinding light, feelings of spiritual ecstasy, the works. I mean, she's living in a locked ward and she's totally at peace."

"Oh yeah, you're right, sounds completely sane," Dean snorted. He believed in a lot of stuff because he witnessed them. But angels? Yeah, right.

"Emmy, no braids," Sam warned.

His sister's blue eyes grew with innocence. "I wasn't braiding."

Sam, not convinced, reached behind his back to put her back on his lap where she couldn't play with his hair. Emmy blew a raspberry in annoyance, her brother could be such a party pooper sometimes.

"So what about the dude she stabbed?" Dean asked next.

"Uh, Carl Gully." Sam remembered how Gloria had said she _had_ to kill him. "She said she killed him because he was evil."

"Was he?"

Sam shrugged. "I don't know. I mean, I couldn't find any dirt on him. I mean, he didn't have a criminal record, he worked at the campus library, had lots of friends. He was a churchgoer."

Dean sat up in his bed, leaning his back against the headboard. "So then Gloria's just your standard-issue wacko. I mean, she wouldn't be the first nutjob in history to kill in the name of religion. Know what I mean?"

"No, but she's the second in town to murder because an angel told them to," Sam pointed out, hoping that would win him over. "Little bit odd, don't ya think?"

Dean thought about it with a slight shake of his head. "Well, little odd yes, supernatural maybe. But angels? I don't think so."

"Why not?" Emmy questioned.

"'Cuz there's no such thing, sweetheart."

Emmy couldn't say why but somehow that disappointed her. She always was a believer and as she was used to putting her faith in God, that also applied for angels. A little more than a year ago she thought monsters didn't exist but now that she knew they did, why wouldn't angels exist? It didn't make sense to her.

"Dean, there's ten times as much lore about angels as there is about anything else we've ever hunted," Sam brought up.

Dean swung his legs off the edge of the bed. "Yeah, you know what? There's a ton of lore on unicorns too. In fact, I hear that they, they ride on silver moonbeams, and they shoot rainbows out of their ass."

"Wait, there's no such thing as unicorns?" Sam deadpanned with a straight face.

Emmy grabbed his chin, turning his face down to face hers. "It's okay Sammy, as long as there's no proof, they can't fool us. For all we know they do exist, I mean _I_ still believe in 'em."

Sam didn't know if she was being genuine or not but it was still kinda sweet, not to mention funny. He cracked a smile, leaning down to drop a quick kiss to the crown of her head.

"Well, isn't that cute," Dean commented with a smirk. "I'm just saying, there's just some legends that you just file under 'bullcrap'."

Sam nodded. "And you've got angels on the bullcrap list."

"Yep."

"Why?" Emmy wanted to know. There must be a valid reason for his skeptic demeanor towards angels.

"Because I've never seen one," was his answer.

"So what?" Sam asked.

Dean shrugged. "So I believe in what I can see."

"Dean! We've seen things that most people couldn't even dream about," Sam pointed out.

"Exactly. With our own eyes. That's hard proof, okay? But in all this time I have never seen anything that looks like an angel. And don't you think that if they existed that we would have crossed paths with them? Or at least know someone that crossed paths with them?" Dean argued. But little did he know that his own sister was practically acquainted with one. "No. This is a, a demon or a spirit. You know, they find people a few fries short of a happy meal, and they trick them into killing these randoms."

Sam wasn't so sure about that. "Maybe."

Dean rolled his eyes, it was like whistling onto the wind. "Can we just — I'm going stir-crazy man. Hey, let's go by Gloria's apartment, huh?"

Emmy jumped off her brother's lap. "Can I go with you guys? Please, please, please, please, please, please – "

"Whoa, hold up." Sam put up a hand, stopping her rant. "You finished your homework?"

Emmy's shoulders sagged in discouragement. "Not yet," she mumbled.

"What have you been doing the last three hours?" Sam confronted.

She crossed her arms over her flat chest in defiance. "It's all Dean's fault, he was distracting me!"

"You wanna finish what we started?" Dean taunted playfully as he wiggled his fingers.

"No!" Emmy wormed her way back into Sam's hold as she tried to use his arms as a shield. "Besides, it's too hard. I still don't get the whole dominator thing."

Sam's lips twitched. "You mean _deno_ minator?"

"Uhu, that's what I said."

Sam sighed in reluctance. "You can come but only on one condition, when we get back you'll finish the whole chapter."

"Will you help me?" she asked sweetly.

Sam gave her a little squeeze. "Sure, honey."

Emmy grinned, flashing her dimples. "You know that's why you're my favorite brother, Sammy."

"Okay, now you're just asking for it." Dean hoisted her back over his shoulder.

Emmy giggled, the contagious sound was something her brothers never got tired of hearing. Living the life they did, dragging her around places a girl like her shouldn't be and exposing her to stuff she shouldn't see, sometimes making her laugh was the only good thing they could do.

"Dean, stop! I'm sorry, I'm sorry, alright!" she guffawed with tears in her eyes. She wiggled in her brother's hold causing her shirt to ride up, exposing her stomach. Emmy burst of laughter when Dean dug his fingers under her shirt going all the way up her sides and armpits. "Sammy! Help!"

Sam found himself smiling from ear to ear, his sister's laughter always had that effect on him. He realized it had been a while since he heard her crack up like that and decided not to put a stop to it just yet.

 **SPN**

Gully's house was a moderate single family home which at first sight didn't look suspicious at all, Emmy thought as she mounted the front steps.

"Oh hey, Sam. I think I found it," Dean spoke up as he gestured to the statue of an angel on the porch. "It's a sign from up above," he said as he peered in the window. "Well, I think I learned a valuable lesson: Always take down your Christmas decorations after New Year's, or you might get filleted by a hooker from God."

Sam didn't even try to respond to his brother's strike. "I'm laughing on the inside." He then wandered around back, through a gate.

Emmy felt Dean grab her hand, pulling her away from the front of the house to the back where Sam had found a wooden storm cellar.

Sam's eyes squinted in thought. "You know, Gloria said the guy was guilty to his deepest foundations."

Dean appeared pensive as he wondered, "You think she literally meant the foundation?"

Sam looked down at the cellar and then back to his brother who nodded shortly. Sam crouched to open the creaking door.

Sensing what was going to happen next, Emmy withdrew her hand from Dean's. "Yeah, I'm not going in there. I'll just keep watch, you know in case someone sees us." Dean took a step towards her but she quickly stepped away, keeping distance. "Not gonna happen. I'm still not over you dragging me into that sewer."

"Okay," Dean nodded, not missing the flicker of surprise flashing in his sister's eyes. She had expected to be forced into the cellar not her brother giving in so easily.

Emmy watched as he went down the steps, his flashlight clearing up his path. Craning her neck she could spot multiple cobwebs and her skin prickled just thinking of those eight legged monsters all over that place. Some woodlouse crawled its way out of the cellar and Emmy shuddered, retreating until she bumped against a hard chest.

"Clear!" Dean yelled.

Emmy didn't comprehend what was happening when her feet suddenly didn't touch the ground. Two strong hands lifted her up, inching her closer to the cellar. _Oh hell to the no!_ Emmy started struggling against Sam's grasp but who was she kidding, she could never match his strength.

"No! No! _No!_ " she protested, kicking and screaming.

Sam put her back to her feet once they were all the way down. He grabbed her by the waist when she was starting to bolt. "Hey, hey, hey! Emmy listen to me." His sister shot him the meanest glare she could muster – lips drawn into a thin line, blazing eyes looking furious and her button nose twitched. It was adorable and Sam had to bite his cheeks not to smile. "We need you to keep watch down here, alright? Can you do that for us?"

"Maybe."

Sam knew not to push her buttons. "Good." He released her once he made sure she wouldn't duck out and joined Dean looking around the cellar.

"Oh and Sammy?" Emmy waited until she got his attention. "You're so not my favorite brother anymore."

"Fair enough."

Dean snickered. "I always win."

"You're not it either," Emmy snapped.

Dean hissed in pain. "Ouch, baby."

Sam noticed strange scratches on a wall near the floor and leaned over to get a closer look. "Hey. I think I got something."

Dean watched him digging at the wall until he pulled something out. "What is it?" he asked as he shined his light on it.

Sam twisted the object between his fingers. "It's a fingernail."

The brothers exchanged a look and pulled two shovels from the wall. With a huff, Emmy leaned against a shelf in boredom while watching her brothers dig. Her eyes widened when she came face to face with a spider staring right back at her. She screeched, flailing her arms about and knocking over some cans and tools in the process. She looked down at the mess she made, hoping that the insect was somewhere under there, crushed to death. To make sure, she dropped another can on top, adding to the weight. She blew a strand of hair away from her face and let out a breath, trying to pull herself together. When she turned around, she met her brothers looking at her, unimpressed.

"Must've been a violent sucker if you had to tear down an entire shelf to kill it," Dean commented dryly.

"Shut up," Emmy bit back. She acted out of self-defense. That monster, no matter how miniscule it was, could've killed her.

Ten agonizing minutes later, the male Winchesters finally finished their job. The deep pit revealed a pile of skeletons causing Emmy to gulp.

Sam sighed as he held an arm out to keep his sister from getting closer. "So much for the innocent churchgoing librarian."

"Yeah, well," Dean started as he wiped some sweat from his forehead, "whatever spoke to Gloria about this knew what it was talking about, I'll give you that."

Emmy looked between her brothers with impatience and a hint of discomfort. "Can we go now?"

 **SPN**

"Two fractions can only be added or subtracted if they have the same denominator. For example, it is possible to add 3/5 and 1/5 because both fractions have 5 as the denominator. In this case, we simply add the numerators to find the answer. But if fractions do not have the same denominator, you need to find equivalent fractions. For example, it is not possible to add 3/5 and 1/4 without changing each fraction so that they have the same bottom number. We can use equivalent fractions to rewrite each fraction with 20 as the denominator – " Sam stopped midsentence when he noticed his sister wasn't even listening to his explanation.

Emmy sat cross-legged next to him on the front seat of the Impala, staring through the window as they stopped at a red light. In the car beside them was a middle-aged man making wild gestures with his hand as he said something. Emmy figured he must be talking about something funny because the young girl next to him – probably his daughter –seemed to be laughing her ass off. Emmy's hand dropped in her lap, absently trailing the faint scar she got from the shadow demon with the tip of her finger. She ran her digit from the beginning of the scar at the inside of her knee up to her thigh. She was so lost in her thoughts of her father and that particular night when he left her behind like he did so many times. At least back then she always had the hope of him coming back, no matter what, John always returned. But now it was so surreal to believe that she would never be able to jump in his muscular arms again as he spun her around, eliciting a fit of giggles out of her.

"Emmy." Sam snapped his fingers in front of her face, cutting her train of thoughts. "You alright, honey?"

"Hmm," she nodded distractedly, hunching back over her math book in her lap. Her brother sighed and leaned over to close the book. Emmy looked confused. "We're not done yet."

"I can't get anything through that pretty head of yours if you're constantly somewhere else with your mind," Sam opposed. "So are you gonna tell me what's up?"

Emmy looked down, scraping her nail against the scar again. "Nothing, it's stupid anyway."

Sam reached over to grab her hand while he used the other to tip her chin up. "Talk to me."

Chewing on her bottom lip, Emmy stared into her brother's hazel eyes filled with nothing but encouragement and trust. She debated what to say next, unsure of how to approach the issue. She had tried to forget about it, to brush it off but the last several weeks all she did was think about Sam's words in his drunken stupor.

"You never explained why I wasn't an orphan."

Sam slowly released her chin, his eyes transfixed on his sister's while all he wanted was to look away. Luckily the lights turned green and it was the perfect excuse to look away. "Honey, I already told you, I was drunk alright, I don't even remember what I said that night."

"But I do."

Sam swallowed hard, his jaw clenched. Now he regretted leaving Dean at the motel, he would've done better under the pressure if he had his brother to assist him. What the hell was he supposed to tell her now?

"Listen, Emmy, don't think about it too much. I was just blabbering, it was all nonsense."

Emmy tried to believe him, she really did, but there was just this nagging feeling she couldn't ignore. A feeling that didn't allow her to take her brother for his word.

"Can I ask you a question," she eventually asked after a pregnant pause.

 _Please don't,_ Sam thought. "Sure."

"Sometimes I feel like you and Dean are keeping something from me. Are you?"

Where the hell was Dean when you needed him? Sam's gaze never wavered from the road as his knuckles turned white around the steering wheel. Man, he hated lying to that lovely face, it was almost like indirectly inflicting pain on his own baby sister. But Sam had to consider the consequences of telling her the secret or blandly lie.

"No, of course not."

Frankly, blandly lying sounded so much better at that time. He realized that by lying to her now, it would will only intensify the hurt in the long run. The longer they kept it to themselves, the harder it will crush her once she finds out. But at least it gave him and his brother enough time to prepare, no matter how ridiculous that sounded.

Sam's attempt at avoiding eye contact and masking his face didn't go unnoticed. Emmy glanced at her brother out the corner of her eye in disbelief. Sometimes she wondered if her brothers still took her for the oblivious five year old she was several years ago. They acted like she had stupid written on her forehead while she was too smart for her own good. She wanted to shake her head at her brother for even thinking she'd buy this. No one could read Sam or Dean better than she could, and all she read was how they were lying through their teeth. She didn't know what hurt more, being lied to or being taken for a fool. Either way she received an answer to her question _._ There was something her brothers wouldn't tell her and if they didn't want to come out with it, then so be it. Emmy didn't want their help to find the answers she needed, she'll get them on her own.

 **SPN**

 _"_ _We've got a minor TA, involving a motorcycle and a, uh van, this is at the corner of 28th and Pine, 28th and Pine –"_

Dean Winchester was bored out of his mind as he sat on the edge of his bed, listening to the police radio. He occasionally threw a longing look at the Magic Fingers controller, only to realize he had no quarters. He felt twelve again, when his mother would ground him for not being able to stay away from her apple pies. The memory was bittersweet and brought a small smile to his lips. His life was so simple and worriless back then – now he was grounded because cops wanted to put him behind bars.

The click of the door sounded and Dean's hand went automatically to the back of his waistband, his palm brushing his gun. Once it was clear that it was his siblings, he instantly let his guard down. Emmy entered first, carrying paper bags.

"Did you bring quarters?" was the first thing Dean asked as he accepted his sandwich from his sister. "Thanks, cutie pie."

Sam frowned at the controller, this habit of his brother was getting out of hand. "Dude, I'm not enabling your sick habit. You're like one of those lab rats that pushes the pleasure button instead of the food button until it dies."

"What are you talking about? I eat," Dean scoffed, obviously not getting the point. He eyed his sister who had toed off her chucks, dropping herself on the couch and turning on the television. "Hey, you're not gonna eat?"

Not putting effort in looking away from the screen, Emmy simply shrugged indifferently. "Not hungry."

Dean raised a questioning eyebrow at his brother, demanding answers. Emmy never skipped a meal unless she was feeling sick or something was bothering her. She was displeased for some reason, that much Dean could tell. Sam made a gesture with his hand, the universal sign of _I'll explain later._ But Dean wasn't content with that, so Sam mouthed the word _dad._ Dean hesitated between addressing the issue and dropping it.

"So, uh," Sam cleared his throat, trying to get back to the subject. "Three students have disappeared off the college campus in the last year. All of them were last seen at the library."

Dean eventually chose to drop the matter for now and nodded. "Where Carl Gully worked."

"Yep."

"Sick bastard," he commented as he opened his bag to take a peek at his sandwich.

"So Gloria's angel —" Sam started until his brother abruptly cut him off.

"Angel?"

Sam decided not to broach the subject knowing he'll end in an endless discussion. "Okay. Whatever this thing is."

Dean took a bite from his sandwich. "Okay, well, whatever it is, it's struck again."

Sam sat up straighter. "What?"

Dean sucked at some sauce on the tip of his thumb, before wiping his hand off on his jeans. "I was listening to the police radio before you got here. There was this guy, uh, Zach Smith, some local drunk – he went up to a stranger's front door last night, stabbed him in the heart."

"And then I'm guessing he went to the police and confessed?" Sam speculated.

"Yep. Roma Downey made him do it." Dean got up to cross the room and retrieved a Post-it off the mirror. "Now, I got the victim's address."

Sam got to his feet. "Great. Let's check it out."

Dean placed his unfinished sandwich on the table as he grabbed his jacket on the back of one of the chairs. He glanced at his sister who was still slumped into the couch with Johnnie tucked in her side. Her fingers were restless as one hand fiddled with the fur of her teddy bear while the other pulled at the loose strings of her denim shorts. To strangers it looked like she was simply watching The Power Rangers, but to Dean her body language spoke volumes. She was elsewhere with her mind.

Dean caught his brother's eye and tilted his head towards the door. Silently telling him to go, he'll catch up with him. Sam looked between his siblings before reluctantly leaving and softly closing the door behind him.

Emmy didn't budge when Dean suddenly came standing in front of her. She heard him sigh before he crouched next to the couch, now on eye-level. She could feel him stare at the side of her face and even though she tried to ignore it, his stare was burning.

She eventually gave up, looking back at his startling green eyes. "Take a picture, it lasts longer."

Dean smirked. He could never take angry Emmy serious, it was too damn adorable. "Got plenty of 'em on my phone."

Emmy refrained from rolling her eyes and shifted her gaze back onto the screen. That didn't last long when a calloused hand cupped her chin, turning her head back to face a pair of concerned eyes.

"Wanna tell me what's up?"

Emmy jerked her face from his grasp. "You know what's up."

Dean studied her face – from the little beauty mark above the left corner of her upper lip to the hidden dimple in her cheeks. Sometimes he would stare at her without her knowing, just trying to find something that resembled his father. Even though he had proof she wasn't his, Dean still couldn't ignore that little spark of hope inside of him wishing that there still was a chance. But all he ever saw looking at his baby, was his mother. It was supposed to be reassuring but it only left him crestfallen.

He had thought about revealing their secret, too many times resulting in too many sleepless nights. But every scenario would end up with his sister heartbroken, and all Dean ever did was protect his sister from any kind of harm. His brother instincts wouldn't let him come clean, they overpowered his mind, making him believe she was better off not knowing. But how could he be so sure? What if he told her? What if all he had to do was pull of the Band-Aid and get it over with. It will sting, hurt like a mother, but at least she'll know.

"Sammy's waiting," Emmy spoke up softly, putting an end to his reveries.

Dean opened his mouth but he found himself unable to use the right words. He debated his next move, torn between two choices. Hurt her with the truth or protect her with lies? He felt like a tornado flew around his mind, messing up every thought, making it impossible for him to think straight. In the end he gave up and stood back up.

Emmy would be lying if she said she wasn't hurt when her brother appeared to have given up on whatever he was planning on telling her. He'd rather keep his mouth shut, too much of a coward to tell her the truth.

Right before Dean left, she felt his warm presence behind her as he cupped her face, tilting it upward to drop a lingering kiss on her forehead. "Love you," he had whispered against her skin. For once, she could tell he wasn't lying.

 **SPN**

Emmy had waited for the rumble of the Impala before jumping off the couch. She had to do something, she had to know what they were keeping from her. Going to Sam and Dean's bags, she started searching for her father's journal. Screw her brothers, she couldn't rely on them any longer if she wanted answers. They were always so hell-bent on keeping her safe by hiding stuff from her, not realizing that she wouldn't always stand by and let them run all over her. It was time to take matters into her own hands.

Finding the leather book, she flipped it open, flicking through the pages, desperately looking for something she missed. The back of the journal was the only part of the book that actually served as a journal. And even though John's writing was like reading Chinese, Emmy didn't let that stop her from deciphering the words. Those last pages were the only ones containing her father's personal diary, it was also the only pages her brothers never read.

 _May the 5_ _th_ _, 1989_

 _We've thought about it. Mary and I thought about it and we've decided to do the right thing. It's been four years since our house burned down into flames. Four years since I nearly lost my family. Four years since that yellow eyed demon invaded my home, threatening my wife. I already knew what happened but I always felt like a part of the story was missing. Mary tried to keep it to herself for years, but last month she finally came out with it. She told me all about the deal she made that night, the same night Sammy turned six months. Her life and his in exchange for a new life. Mary made a deal to offer her own –_ our – _child to a demon_.

Her mother made a deal!? Emmy knew about the fire when Sam was still a baby. She also knew that they had renovated the house, the same house she visited back in Lawrence where she saw her mother. But no one ever told her about the reason the house burned down. Reading about a demon attacking her family was a hard pill to swallow. Not to mention the fact that her mother had made a deal, giving up her own child in return for protection?

She didn't want to admit but she suddenly had a different view of her mother. She never knew the woman good enough but stories and memories from her brothers and father were enough to feed her imagination. And somehow, Mary sacrificing her own child didn't fit the description Emmy had of her mother.

 _I still feel bad for reacting the way I did. I shouldn't have up and left, leaving her behind vulnerable and heartbroken. I should've stayed and hear her out. But all I could hear at that moment was giving my own flesh and blood to some yellow eyed sonuvabitch. I did come back though after three weeks, I had to, I couldn't leave my family behind. Sam and Dean were starting to ask questions about their daddy. I had to do it for them._

Emmy was sucked into the passage as she let her finger trail every word, the tip of her tongue sticking out in concentration, her eyes wide in curiosity and disbelief. How come she never read this before? Her parents had a huge fight, resulting in her father leaving for a whole _month_? Why did her brothers never mention this?

 _I always wanted a big family, so did Mary. I already had two boys, the apples of my eye, also pains in my ass. But I always secretly hoped for a babygirl. I probably have no idea how to deal with a girl. Boys are easy, take them fishing and I'm their hero. Girls are different, they hold your hand for a little while but hold your heart forever._

Emmy blinked when a wet drop coated the page. She sniffed, realizing tears were rolling down her cheeks. She quickly wiped them off before turning the page.

 _But having more children suddenly became a dream, just a hopeful dream that would never come true. It was the hardest decision Mary and I ever made and it still hurt every time I think of it, but we had to in order to protect our small family. Last week, Mary and I had an appointment at the hospital for surgery. She hadn't left her bed ever since. I told Sam and Dean that mommy was sick and they needed to let her rest. I lost count of how many nights I had to hold her at night, wiping away at her tears. She was heartbroken, I was heartbroken. But it was the only thing we could do to guarantee the safety of our sons. It was never our plan or intention to put a stop to our wish of having more children –_

Wait, hold on a minute! Emmy's eyes almost bulged out of their sockets as she got back to the beginning, rereading every word to make sure she got it right. Her mother got _sterilized?_ But that made no sense! Well it made sense _why_ she did. Mary refused to risk having another child, knowing that a certain demon would snatch it the first chance it got. But how did it explain her own existence? How come Emmy was even alive and kicking when her mother became practically unable to have any more children? It was impossible!

Emmy leaned back against the couch, suddenly feeling overwhelmed. She came to find answers but only got left with more questions. Did her brothers know about this? Maybe that's what they were hiding from her. But she couldn't tell that with certainty. She knew for a fact that her brothers _never_ read the last pages. They knew it was forbidden territory, even after their father passed away, they still respected his wishes.

Looking down at the journal in her lap, Emmy suddenly wasn't sure if she should read the rest. What if she finds out more stuff she wished she never knew. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't still the nagging feeling, tempting her to read the rest. Emmy couldn't deny how hard she wanted to find out about the continuation. She still didn't know how her mother managed to get pregnant.

She debated her next move for a full minute, just staring at the journal, until she couldn't take it anymore. She desperately flicked through the rest of the pages, skipping the hunting stories and everything that was irrelevant until she landed on 1995. The year she was born. Emmy swallowed hard as she let her eyes trail over the words without really reading them, too afraid of finding out about something she didn't want to know.

 _January 12_ _th_ _, 1995_

 _Mary was pregnant. Ten years after the deal, she became pregnant. Doctors told us that the effectiveness of sterilization was 99,99%. Our baby was that small 0,01%, he or she was a miracle. I know I should be happy, jump to the ceiling, feel the same way I did when I received the news about Dean and Sam. But I couldn't. She tried to tell me,_ begged _me to believe her but I couldn't. All that I know is that I went camping with my sons for two weeks, only to come back finding out that she was pregnant. I knew in my heart that Mary would never betray me like that but what do I believe when everything leads to the fact that the child she was carrying wasn't even –_

Emmy frantically turned the page, ready to read the rest when she found out the following pages were ripped out. Confused, she frowned at the empty gap. The next page was more than nine months later.

 _September the 21_ _st_ _, 1995_

 _From the moment I lay eyes on her, I just knew that she was the most beautiful creature I've ever seen. Everything was so tiny and so soft, I was afraid to touch her, scared that my calloused and strong hands would break her. I'm not a believer, not with what I've seen lurking in the dark, but if there was a God, he must've heard my prayers. Mary said she always loved the name Elisabeth and I wanted to honor my deceased mother, Marybeth, so we called her Mary-Elisabeth. It was a mouthful for the boys, so they came up with the nickname, Emmy. We liked the sound of it, short but sweet, just like she was._

Emmy never really asked why her parents named her Mary-Elisabeth, she never even knew her brothers were the reason she went by Emmy. The detail was kinda heartwarming, leaving a little smile on her lips as she turned the page.

 _November 6_ _th_ _, 1995_

 _I still wasn't over_ how _this exactly happened. If I had to believe my wife, she never ever did what I had assumed for a long time. To be honest, I don't think she would ever even_ think _of doing it. But that still doesn't answer our question. Until Mary met this psychic, Missouri. I never really believed that crap but Mary did. She told me our baby was special, that she could feel it, call it mother instinct or whatever. Missouri told us that how Emmy was conceived was the least of our worries. The psychic was convinced that our baby was "sent down". Bullcrap. I believed in a lot of things, but that was the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. Mary was dubious and that only angered me more. Why would she even consider it? For all we know this woman was just a con. But Mary was adamant and I know it was because she was afraid. I could spot the fear in her eyes whenever she looked at our sweet girl. Fear of losing her. Missouri even told us that moving wouldn't change anything, that the demon would find us either way. She advised us to demonproof our house. I remember looking at my wife in disbelief, silently asking her if she told this random stranger about the deal she made. I'll never forget how Missouri put her hand on mine with a knowing look, saying, "She didn't need to. I already knew." Goddammit. I knew from that moment on that we were in for one hell of a ride._

"Sent down?" Emmy repeated.

"Watcha readin'?"

Emmy screamed as she jumped out of her skin, dropping John's journal to the floor. She crawled out of the couch, slowly walking backwards as she tried to keep a safe distance between herself and the intruder who for some reason seemed to be amused. She frantically looked around, only to notice that the door was still closed and so were the windows.

"What are you – how did you – who are – _huh?_ "

"Yeah, uh, I don't really know how to answer that, but I can do this." The man reached forward with a lifted hand but before he could touch Emmy, she kicked him in the groin. The man appeared unimpressed. "That tickled, nice move though."

"Stay away from me!" Emmy warned with alarm and fear lacing her voice. The man paid no heed to her and simply touched her temple. Emmy felt a sudden warmth wash over her causing her skin to prickle. She looked back up at the man and gasped. "Gabriel!"

"Mary-Elisabeth!" he said, matching her tone of surprise. He staggered when a sudden weight collapsed against him. It took him a second to be aware of a pair of arms wrapped around his waist. "Oh, well, someone's happy to see me." He awkwardly patted her back.

"Thanks for saving me back in Cornwall, I knew it was you," she told him in earnest, giving him one last squeeze before releasing him.

"Kinda my job, but you're welcome," he winked.

"So what are you doing here?" Emmy wanted to know as she watched him casually walk around the room.

"I heard someone was sticking her nose where it didn't belong," he said with a knowing look.

Emmy shifted on her feet, trying to avoid his gaze. "I was just curious."

"Curiosity killed the cat and if you're not careful enough, it will kill you."

Emmy's head snapped up. "What?"

Gabriel lowered himself on the couch after picking the journal from the floor. "This book can get you in a lot of trouble. And I'm not talking about laundry duty for a whole week kinda trouble, I'm talking about being a demon's servant for the rest of your life kinda trouble."

"What are you talking about?" Emmy voiced her puzzlement as she sat down next to him. "I was just looking for answers that's all."

"You're not the only one looking for answers, sweetcheeks. You know Azazel – if you know what you want to know, then he'll know what you know too."

Emmy scrunched up her freckled nose. " _What?"_

"Yeah I kinda lost myself there too." Gabriel twisted in his seat, inching closer to her. "What I'm trying to say is that this devil spawn is dying to know what's written in here," he said as he held up her father's journal.

Emmy still didn't understand. "What's that have to with me?"

Gabriel's jaw clenched, his brown eyes suddenly held less playfulness and more resolution. "Azazel is after you, Mary-Elisabeth. In fact he's looking for you as we speak."

The ten year old gulped, her hand absently fingering her necklace. "Is he the man that's been following me?"

"Yes," he nodded before gesturing at the silver butterfly. "This thing is as useless as tits on a bull. The only reason he hasn't found you yet is because I cloaked you."

Emmy raised her eyebrows. "You did?"

"My father's gonna kill me if I ever let a demon lay a hand on you," Gabriel snorted. "It was that or taking you with me to heaven but I don't think certain brothers of yours would like that."

"Wow."

Gabriel scoffed. "Oh, you have no idea what you're missing being down here."

"So I still don't understand why me reading my own dad's journal is so wrong."

"Because knowing the truth, will change everything. If you read what's in here and Azazel gets you, then you have no idea what he will do once he knows what's in your head." Gabriel could see that he still wasn't getting through to her. "Look, my father always believed that lying is the biggest sin. So trust me when I say that I'm an archangel of my word. If you continue reading this journal, you'll find out stuff that will define your future, and not in a good way. It will destroy your destiny."

"So you're saying that the reason Azazel wants me is because he thinks I got some useful information for him?"

"Exactly," Gabriel confirmed.

"Well my brothers obviously know something I don't, then why isn't he going after them?" she wondered.

"Believe me, your brothers don't know half of it," Gabriel huffed with a small smirk. "Well that, and there's also the deal your mother made. Azazel wants you and your brother Sam."

Emmy felt her heart drop. "So it's true? She only had me so she could give me to some yellow eyed demon?"

"Mary only had you because it was God's will and nothing gets in the way of His plans. Not even a meaningless sterilization."

"If she didn't _want_ me, then how come my dad thought she cheated?" she demanded with tears glistening in her eyes.

Gabriel sighed, briefly pinching the bridge of his nose. "Listen, I can only tell you that your mother never cheated, alright? But now is not the right moment to explain this to you. I promise I will, one day. But not today."

"You sound just like my brothers. Always keeping me in the dark to protect me when all you do is the opposite." Emmy turned away when a tear trailed down her cheek. She bit her bottom lip, trying to stop it from trembling.

Gabriel watched her shoulders shake as she cried silently. "You ever wonder why God has chosen this family for you? Why you weren't the daughter of some normal couple with normal jobs and a normal life?"

Emmy sniffed, slowly turning her head.

Gabriel reached over to wipe a tear from her face. "Because He needed you to be safe. He granted you with a family that would die for you, literally. You have two brothers who would go to hell in a heartbeat just for you. Now tell me how many siblings would actually do that for their own family? I've been around before the sun even existed and I can tell you that I haven't met many."

"But why?" she questioned, her voice cracking. "Why is it so dangerous for me to know?"

Gabriel looked in her glistening blue orbs, it was like seeing the whole universe. It was breathtaking. The first rule of an angel is to never get attached to a human being but he couldn't ignore the guilt he felt as he thought of how much she was hurting. No matter what, his Father's orders were clear, he wasn't allowed to tell her anything … not yet.

"I'm sorry."

Emmy nodded, not even attempting at hiding the hurt. "I take it back. You're worse than my brothers."

"Listen to me." Gabriel sighed when she looked away but he kept his distance. "I know you might not see it now but one day, I swear on everything my Father has created, one day you'll look back and you'll be grateful that your family and I have done what we did. You have my word."

"Whatever, just leave me alone." Emmy slid down the couch, resting her head on the armrest and tucking her knees against her stomach. She hid her tear streaked face in Johnny's fur, trying to still her sobs.

Gabriel was saddened as he looked down at her. He felt the need to comfort her but didn't think it would make much of a difference. He stood up with the journal still in hand and stared at the last pages until they turned blank. It wouldn't be safe for her to know, her life depended on it. He threw one last glance at Emmy as she cried into her teddy beer. Reaching down, he touched her temple, erasing the last two hours from her memory and effectively putting her to sleep. Some peaceful rest would do her some good. It was the only thing he could do anyway.

"Angels are watching over you, Mary-Elisabeth."

 **SPN**

So Frank wasn't as innocent as the brothers thought, that was for sure. Sam and Dean had yet to find out what they were dealing with, the pattern existed of three guys, pervs, all stabbed through the heart. It almost looked like they were dealing with an avenging angel. After doing some more digging, the Winchesters found out a connection between the three men. It seemed they were all churchgoers at The Lady of the Angels.

"So you're interested in joining the parish?" Father Reynolds smiled friendly.

Dean cleared his throat, masking his apprehension. "Yeah, well, you know, we just don't feel right unless we hit church every Sunday."

Sam looked at his brother disapprovingly. Lying in a house of God?

Either Father Reynolds didn't notice or he just chose to ignore it, because his smile never wavered. "We're happy to have you, we could use some young blood around here."

"Hey, listen, I gotta ask," Dean obviously couldn't contain it any longer, "no offense, but uh, the neighborhood?"

Father Reynolds nodded knowingly. "Well, it's gone to seed a little, there's no denying that, but that's why what the church does here is so important. Like I always say, you can expect a miracle, but in the meantime you work your butt off."

"Yeah, we heard about the murders."

Reynolds looked down in sorrow. "Yes. The victims were parishioners of mine, I'd known them for years."

"And the killers said that an angel made them do that?" Sam asked.

"Yes. Misguided souls, to think that God's messenger would appear and incite people to murder." The Father shook his head with a heavy heart. "It's tragic."

Dean briefly bit at his lower lip. "So you don't believe in those angel yarns, huh?"

"Oh, no, I absolutely believe. Kind of goes with the job description."

Sam noticed a painting on the wall of what looked like an angel defeating the devil. "Father, that's Michael, right?"

Both Dean and Reynolds turned to look at the opposite wall. "That's right. The archangel Michael, with the flaming sword. The fighter of demons. Holy force against evil."

Sam dug his hands deeper into his pockets as he addressed the man. "So they're not really the Hallmark card version that everybody thinks? They're fierce, right? Vigilant?"

A small chuckle escaped between Father Reynolds's lips. "Well, I like to think of them as more loving than wrathful. But, uh, yes, a lot of Scripture paints angels as God's warriors. _An angel of the Lord appeared to them, the glory of the Lord shone down upon them, and they were terrified_." Sam merely nodded while Dean looked between the two in confusion. "Luke. Two nine."

"Well, thank you for speaking with us, Father," Sam smiled politely as they started to leave.

"Oh, it' s my pleasure." Reynolds walked them out to the door. "Hope to see you again."

As Dean descended the steps he caught a collection of tribute items. "Hey, Father, what's, what is all that for?"

"Oh, that's for Father Gregory. He was a priest here."

Dean took a note of the sudden distress washing over the Father's face. "Was?"

"He passed away right on these steps. He's interred in the church crypt."

Dean shared a quick glance with his brother before asking, "When did this happen?"

"Two months ago," he sighed miserably. "He was shot for his car keys." The boys paid their condolences. "He was a good friend. I didn't even have time to administer his last rites. But like I said, it's a tough neighborhood. Ever since he died I've been praying my heart out."

"For what?" Sam questioned.

"For deliverance," Reynolds answered. "From the violence and the bloodshed around here. We could use a little divine intervention, I suppose."

"Well, Padre, thanks. We'll see you again." Dean nodded once and waited for Father Reynolds to go back inside before investigating the shrine. "Well, it's all starting to make sense. Devoted priest dies a violent death? That's vengeful spirit material right there. And he knew all the other stiffs, because they went to church here, in fact I'm willing to bet that because he was their priest, he knew things about them that nobody else knew."

Sam shifted on the steps as he looked around dubiously. "Then again, Father Reynolds started praying for God's help about two months ago, right? Right about the time all this started happening?"

Dean huffed in exasperation. "Aw, come on, man, what's your deal?"

"What do you mean?"

Dean ran an exasperated hand down his face. "Look, I'll admit I'm a bit of a skeptic, but since when are you all Mr., uh, 700 Club? No, seriously. From the get-go you've been willing to buy this angel crap, man. I mean, what's next, are you going to start praying every day?"

"I do."

"What?" Dean didn't understand how his brother never ceased to amaze him. "I'd expect this from Emmy, but you?"

"I do pray every day. I have for a long time," Sam sounded offended.

"The things you learn about a guy. Huh." Dean shook his head as if to clear his head. "Well, come on, let's get back to the motel, I don't like leaving Emmy alone. And then tonight we can check out Father Gregory's grave."

"You think she'll still be mad?" Sam wondered out loud as they started for the Impala.

Dean exhaled loudly. "I don't know."

"Kinda feel like we're doing the wrong thing by hiding this from her," Sam admitted. "I mean she's smart, she already found out that we're not telling her everything."

"Well, if you wanna have the honor of breaking it to her, then go ahead," Dean commented with a snappy tone.

Sam rolled his eyes. "Don't be stupid."

"Look, it's Emmy alright. That girl could never hold a grudge. Before you know it, she'll forget all about it and who even says we _have_ to tell her?"

Sam frowned. "What do you mean? She deserves to know the truth Dean."

His brother shrugged. "I'm just saying I could've lived without ever knowing."

Sam narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. "Are you saying we shouldn't tell her. As in _never_?"

"It's irrelevant. Dad is dead, it doesn't matter anymore. She's better off thinking she doesn't have a father, instead of thinking she has one but doesn't know who it is," Dean compromised.

Sam lifted up his hand to rub at the nape of his neck. "I don't know, Dean. She's bound to find out."

"How? No one knows but us," Dean reminded him.

"Then why would Dad even tell you if it didn't matter," Sam pointed out. "He never told us for ten years, why suddenly come clean. It just doesn't make sense."

Dean was silent for several seconds. "She just found out about the family business, the monsters and lost Dad, Caleb and Pastor Jim. She's seen things, done things, no kid should ever deal with – all in the span of a _year_. Don't you think she already has enough on her plate?"

Sam looked down at his steps, his heart suddenly aching for his baby sister.

"Let's not burden her with extra weight she can't carry," Dean proposed.

 **SPN**

Emmy stirred when she felt a hand smoothing down her hair and a thumb brushing her cheek. She slowly peeled her eyes open, blinking to clear her sight.

Sam smiled down at her. "How was your nap?"

Emmy sat up groggily, moving her hair from her face. She looked around, confused as to how she even fell asleep. She remembered watching reruns of the Power Rangers and then – that was about all she could recall.

Sam noticed her grabbing at her head and reached out in concern. "Hey, you alright, honey?"

"Mhmm, just a headache," she whispered as she leaned against him tiredly.

To make sure he put his palm on her forehead before cupping her face. To his relief she didn't feel warm. "Have you eaten anything yet?"

"Not yet," she mumbled with her eyes closed.

"You hungry?" Sam asked as he ran his fingers through her soft hair, gently combing the strands.

"Starving," was her response.

Sam was glad she didn't lose her appetite so she was definitely not sick, maybe just tired. "Go put your shoes on then we can get something to eat."

Emmy reluctantly pulled herself up to her feet. "Where's Dean?" she asked as she took note of her brother's absence.

"He said he was gonna get you a new phone since you lost yours in the pool back at Cornwall," Sam told her as he helped her tie her shoestrings. "I saw a diner just a few blocks from here. Let's go so he can meet us there."

"Okay." Emmy put on her jacket, using her hands to pull out her hair, letting it cascade down her back.

Sam grabbed the keys, letting his sister go first so he could lock the door. He fetched his phone, dialing his brother to tell him where to meet when he felt a small hand slide in his free hand. He looked down to his sister skipping next to him. Dean was right, their sister never held a grudge for too long. What he didn't know was that she couldn't remember what she was mad about because a certain angel made sure of that. With a smile, he reached down to lift her up, hoisting her up onto his back.

Emmy shrieked when she suddenly felt herself being lifted onto her brother's back. Sam supported her under her knees, hoisting her up higher until he had a good hold of her. Emmy giggled, leaning down to rest her face on his shoulder. She poked her brother's dimple with her finger when he smiled.

 **SPN**

With a full stomach, Emmy followed her brothers into a crypt. It was badly lit but Emmy could still spot the numerous stone angel figurines. As they wandered through slowly, Dean grabbed his sister's hand.

"Stay close, sweetheart," he said, pulling her close. "This crypt is like a frikkin' maze of stone hallways."

Emmy shuddered as she felt a weird feeling in the pit of her stomach. Something was off, she couldn't put her finger on it, but it was just something. Out of cautiousness, she looked around when she suddenly noticed something missing.

"Dean, where's Sammy?"

Dean turned around, his trained eyes looking for his brother. He then pulled his sister along as he hurried back into the other room. "Sam, come on, get the lead out."

Emmy was the first to see her brother passed out on the floor. "Sammy!" She rushed over, brushing his bangs form his face, gently tapping his cheeks.

Dean crouched next to her, shaking him. "Sammy? Sammy! Hey!"

Sam jerked awake, groaning. Emmy let out a breath of relief as she helped him sit up. "Sammy, you okay?" she asked worriedly.

"Yeah. Yeah. I'm okay," he replied distractedly, his eyes fixed on the stone angel.

"Come on." Dean hauled him to his feet, guiding him into the sanctuary. "Emmy, baby, shut the door will ya."

Emmy did as she was asked before joining her brothers. She put a hand on Sam's back when he swayed a little, still groaning and rubbing at his temples.

"You saw it, didn't you?"

Emmy looked at Dean. "Saw what?"

"Yeah. Yeah," Sam breathed. "I saw an angel."

"All right. Here." Dean pulled out a flask, unscrewing it and handed it to Sam who reclined. Dean shrugged and took a swig.

"You saw an angel?" Emmy asked, still in awe. "What did it look like?"

Sam pinched his eyes. "I don't know, it was too bright."

"So. What makes you think you even saw an angel?" Dean asked, not hiding the skepticism.

"It just, it appeared before me and I just, this feeling washed over me, you know?" Sam stammered, not knowing how to put it into words. "Like, like peace. Like grace."

Emmy felt a prickling sensation running up her spine. She shook it off, wondering why hearing her brother talking about an angel made her feel strange.

Of course Dean couldn't hold back a smartass comment. "Okay, Ecstasy Boy, maybe we'll get you some glowsticks and a nice Dr. Seuss hat, huh?"

Cue bitch face. "Dean, I'm serious. It spoke to me, it knew who I was."

"It's just a spirit, Sam. Okay? And it's not the first one to be able to read people's minds." Dean sat down on another pew. "Okay, let me guess. You were personally chosen to smite some sinner. You've just got to wait for some divine bat signal, is that it?"

"Yeah, actually."

"Did you ask what this bad guy did?" Emmy asked, earning a look from Dean. He might not believe in this stuff but she did.

"Actually I did," Sam sighed. "And the angel told me. He hasn't done anything. Yet. But he will."

Dean scoffed. "Oh, this is, this is – I don't believe this."

Sam straightened his shoulders, taking a wider stance, showing just how serious he was. "Dean, the angel hasn't been wrong yet! Someone's going to do something awful, and I can stop it!"

"You know, you're supposed to be bad too, maybe, maybe I should just stop you right now."

Emmy gasped, hitting her brother on his arm. " _Dean!"_

Sam slowly shook his head with narrowed eyes. "You know what, Dean? I don't understand! Why can't you even consider the possibility?"

Dean laughed unamused. "What, that this is an angel?"

"Yes! Maybe we're hunting an angel here, and we should stop! Maybe this is God's will!"

"Okay, all right. You know what? I get it. You've got faith. That's — hey, good for you. I'm sure it makes things easier." Dean turned around, his back tensed and jaw clenched. "I'll tell you who else had faith like that — Mom. She used to tell us when she tucked us in that angels were watching over us. In fact, that was the last thing she ever said to Emmy."

The ten year old felt a sudden lump grown in her throat. Her brother never told her that.

Dean turned to face his siblings. "She was wrong. There was nothing protecting her. There's no higher power, there's no God. I mean, there's just chaos, and violence, and random unpredictable evil that comes out of nowhere, and rips you to shreds. You want me to believe in this stuff? I'm going to need to see some hard proof. You got any?" Both Emmy and Sam were at a loss for words. "Well, I do. Proof that we're dealing with a spirit."

Emmy wished she could say something but she knew that nothing could convince her brother, he already made up his mind. She kinda felt bad for him, her faith was probably the only thing still giving her hope, it was the fuel that kept her going. She couldn't imagine how hard it must be for Dean for not having that kind of belief, the conviction of something bright in their dark lives.

 **SPN**

It was already dark outside when Emmy and her brothers left a small grocery store. Sam and Dean came up with the brilliant idea of doing a séance. From what she understood, if Father Gregory's sprit was around, a séance would bring him right to them and then they could put him to rest. If he didn't appear, then he isn't a spirit but an angel.

"I still don't understand why we have to use my Spongebob placemat," Emmy grumbled.

"You know where to find an altar cloth?" Dean asked her, ruffling her hair when she scowled. "We'll just put it Spongebob side down, cutie pie."

Sam chuckled but stopped dead in his tracks when he stared at something across the street. A young man holding a bouquet of flowers as a bright white light glowed behind him.

"Sammy?" Emmy asked, wondering why he stopped walking.

"That's it," Sam breathed.

Both Dean and Emmy followed their brother's gaze but couldn't see anything other than some parked cars in a dark road and a man holding a bunch of flowers. "What?"

"That's the sign!" Sam exclaimed. "Right there, right behind that guy! That's him and we have to stop him."

The young man crossed the street and Sam dropped the grocery bag in Emmy's arms before starting to go after him but Dean stopped him.

"Wait a minute."

Sam pushed his brother's hands away. "What are you doing? Let me go."

Dean blocked his path, putting his foot down. "You're not going to go kill somebody because a ghost told you to, are you insane?"

"Dean, I'm not insane, I'm not going to kill him. I'm going to stop him," Sam panted, never letting his gaze trail away from the man.

"Define stop, huh? I mean, what are you going to do?" Dean confronted.

"Dean, please," Sam begged using those damned puppy dog eyes, "he's going to hurt someone, you know it."

Dean sighed reluctantly. "All right, come on." He reached down to take the bag from Emmy's hands and dropped them back into Sam's arms, he was going to need it. Emmy was about to open the passenger's side door when Dean nudged her to his side. He opened his side of the car and let her crawl in first before getting in. Sam moved to get in too, only to find the door locked.

"Dean. Unlock my door," he demanded with a stern voice that said he had no time for playing games.

"You're not killing anyone, Sam. I got this guy, you go do the séance." With that, Dean pulled away, following the young man at a short distance.

Emmy looked through the rearview mirror, watching her brother get smaller and smaller with every second. "I really hope he's right about all of this."

Dean glanced down at her. He understood how much the existence of angels meant to her. For some unexplainable reason, she always believed in the higher being. Just for her sake, he hoped Sam was right about all of this, too.

He reached out to pull her closer, resting an arm around her shoulder while he used the other hand to steer the wheel. "It's all gonna be okay, we just gotta keep our head in the game."

Dean pulled up at the side of the road to watch the man get out of his car, handing the flowers to some woman waiting on the corner.

Emmy picked at the skin around her nails. "So you really don't believe in angels, huh? Is it okay if I still do?"

Sighing, he absently twirled a blond lock between his fingers. "Why is it that you believe in 'em anyway? I mean, growing up Dad and I were never really the perfect Christians if you know what I mean. So what is it that got you to be so sure that God and angels exist?"

Emmy shrugged, she never really thought about it. "I don't know. I just think there's much more evidence that there is a God than there isn't. Or maybe I just take after mom when it comes to having faith. You said she believed in angels, didn't she?"

"Yeah," Dean said quietly. He suddenly remembered his mother forcing him out of bed so they could go to church on Sunday mornings. His father would always give him ten bucks if he went along without a fuss. The memory was nostalgic. His mother was a wonderful woman, so hopeful and full of dreams, nothing could bring her down. Maybe having faith wasn't such a bad thing after all. Living the life they did, his sister could definitely use something that can lift up her spirits. It was such a harmless way people use to give themselves a purpose in this god forsaken earth.

Dean lowered his face to brush his nose against her sweet smelling hair. Good god, even the scent reminded him of his mother. He planted several light kisses as he mumbled, "You believe in whatever you want, sweetheart."

 **SPN**

The little spark of hope Sam had, dissolved the second Father Gregory's spirit appeared in front of him. Dean was right, the séance had worked and it clearly wasn't an angel.

"Sam. I thought I sent you on your path. You should hurry."

Sam approached the spirit cautiously. "Father, I'm sorry. But you're not an angel."

"Of course I am," Gregory sounded so sure, Sam almost didn't have the heart to prove otherwise.

"No. You're a man. You're a spirit. And you need to rest," Sam told him with regret dripping from his voice.

"I was a man. But now I'm an angel." Father Gregory didn't back down, he was adamant. "I was on the steps of the church. And I felt that bullet pierce right through me. But there was no pain. And suddenly I could see everything." He turned to Father Reynolds who was standing in the corner, his eyes wide with a mix of admiration and shock. "Father Reynolds, I saw you, praying and crying here. I came to help you."

"H-help me how?" he stuttered.

 **SPN**

Meanwhile Dean was still following the man around. The car suddenly turned down a dark alley, causing Dean to temporarily lose sight of him.

"Dammit!" he slammed the wheel in frustration.

"Where did he go?" Emmy asked, looking around.

Dean pulled the car over and shut off the ignition. "Emmy stay here." He opened the glove compartment, taking a gun. He checked if it was loaded first before tucking it in his waistband behind his back. "Take this."

Emmy caught what looked like a new phone. "Is this for me?"

"Yeah, I already put every number you need to know in the contact's list." He turned in his seat, grabbing her chin. "If I'm not back in ten minutes, call Sam or Bobby, got it?"

"Wait, you're not gonna take this guy on your own, are you? You don't even know what he'll do!" Emmy didn't like the idea of her brother going off with no backup. "Lemme come with you."

"Uh-uh, no way." Dean didn't even know why she even asked the question, knowing damn well what his answer would be. "Just sit tight and look pretty. I'll be right back."

"But – " Emmy didn't get the chance to protest when he slammed the door shut. Dean motioned for her to push down the locks, reminding her to not move before he ran off.

 **SPN**

Back in the church crypt, Father Reynolds was momentarily rendered speechless. "Those murders — that was because of you?"

"I received the Word of God. He spoke to me, told me to smite the wicked. I'm carrying out his will," Father Gregory explained, obviously not seeing anything bad in what he did.

Father Reynolds couldn't believe what he had just heard. "You're driving innocent people to kill."

"Those innocent people are being offered redemption. Some people need redemption." Father Gregory turned to the middle Winchester. "Don't they, Sam?" Sam looked away, not knowing what to say. He still had to wrap his mind around this whole ordeal.

"How can you call this redemption?" Reynolds demanded.

"You can't understand it now. But the rules of man and the rules of God are two very different things."

"Those people," Sam finally spoke up. "They're locked up."

Father Gregory shook his head. "No, they're happy. They've found peace, beaten their demons. And I've given them the keys to Heaven."

"No. No, this is vengeance, it's wrong." Father Reynolds approached the spirit. "Thomas, this goes against everything you believed. You're lost, misguided."

"Father. No, I'm not misguided," he forced through gritted teeth.

"You are not an angel, Thomas. Men cannot be angels," Reynolds pressed sternly.

Father Gregory's face faltered, his persistence suddenly turning into disappointment and confusion. "But … but I, I don't understand. You prayed for me to come."

"I prayed for God's help. Not this." Father Reynolds wished he shouldn't have to see the lost look in his eyes. "What you're doing is not God's will. _Thou shalt not kill_. That's the word of God."

"Let us help you," Sam offered.

"It's time to rest, Thomas, to be at peace," Reynolds spoke softly.

 **SPN**

Emmy startled when Dean came back, panting. He frantically motioned for her to unlock the doors and she did.

"What happened?"

Dean quickly started up the car, speeding away. "Sonuvabitch got away."

Emmy nearly fell out of her seat when her brother took a sharp turn.

"Emmy, put your damn seatbelt on!" Without looking, Dean reached around her to pull at the seatbelt.

"Okay, okay, I got." She swatted at his hand, not liking how he was going over the speed limit with only one hand on the steering wheel. "What did he do?"

"He attacked the girl," Dean said as he sped down the road, still chasing the man.

Emmy watched her brother's hands gripping the wheel tightly. She could feel the Impala roar as he pushed his foot down the pedal. She worriedly watched the red pointer of the speedometer turn right. She gulped, her brother was driving way too fast for her liking.

"Uh, Dean? Shouldn't you slow down a little?" she advised with a quivering voice.

"Just hold tight." Dean realized he was driving at a more frantic rate now but that wouldn't be the first time. They cut across lanes, over grass, causing chaos in traffic. At a cross-street, a small pickup truck carrying long metal pipes screeched to a halt in front of the man's car.

Dean held out an arm, catching his sister as he came to sudden stop. A pipe spun off the truck, bouncing once on the ground before plowing straight through the man's windshield. Emmy screamed when the pipe impaled the man through his chest.

"Holy – " Dean stared, stunned. He snapped out of it when he realized his baby sister witnessed something she shouldn't have. "Emmy, sweetheart, you okay?"

Emmy's eyes were glued to the hunched man sitting in the driver's seat with a pipe through his chest and blood splattered all over his shattered windows. She couldn't make a sound, still shell-shocked.

Dean cursed under his breath as he unbuckled her. He enveloped her in his arms, tucking her face in the curve of his neck, anything to hide the gruesome scenery from her. He felt her shiver in his hold and started rubbing her back. "It's okay now, baby, it's okay."

 **SPN**

Emmy didn't get a wink of sleep that night and she was more than happy to pack her bags and leave. Sam had told her about what happened at the church that night, the so called angel was just Father Gregory's spirit. It wasn't something she was glad to hear because like Sam she also had hoped he was secretly right. But angel or no angel, it didn't make her lose faith. Who knows, maybe one day, she'll meet one.

Sam sat dully on one of the beds. "You were right. I don't know, Dean, I just, uh …" Emmy perched herself next to him, hugging his arm in comfort. Sam offered her a sad, half-smile. " I wanted to believe ... so badly, ah ... It's so damn hard to do this, what we do. You're all alone, you know? And ... there's so much evil out there in the world, I feel like I could drown in it. And when I think about my destiny, when I think about how I could end up ..."

Dean sighed as he zipped up his bag. "Yeah, well, don't worry about that. All right? I'm watching out for you. Both of you."

Sam snorted. "Yeah, I know you are. But you're just one person, Dean. And I needed to think that there was something else, watching too, you know? Some higher power. Some greater good. And that maybe …"

"Maybe what?" Emmy pushed softly.

"Maybe I could be saved."

 _Oh Sammy,_ Emmy thought as she rested her cheek against his shoulder.

Sam brushed a little kiss on top of her head. "But, uh, you know, that just clouded my judgment, and you're right. I mean, we've gotta go with what we know, with what we can see, with what's right there in front of our own two eyes."

Dean nodded. "Yeah, well, it's funny you say that."

"Why?"

Emmy looked up at her brother. "Gregory's spirit was right. That guy in the car was bad news. Dean barely got there in time."

"What happened?" Sam asked.

Dean shared a knowing look with Emmy. "He's dead."

"Did you …?" Sam was almost too afraid to ask, especially when he felt his sister tense up.

"No. But I'll tell you one thing. The way he died, if I hadn't seen it with my own two eyes I never would have believed it," Dean told him earnestly. "I mean ... I don't know what to call it."

"What? Dean, what did you see?" Sam urged.

Emmy caught Dean's eye and gave him a reassuring smile.

"Maybe … God's will."

 ** _A/N: Hi, my beautiful readers! Sorry for the long wait, I was sick for like two weeks and when I got better I was too busy catching up on my schoolwork and projects. But I'm back now! As you may have noticed, I skipped Nightshifter. The reason I did that was because I couldn't figure out how to incorporate Emmy's part. So yeah, I was like, nah, let's skip that one. I hope you don't mind though …_**

 ** _Anyway, to make up for the long wait, I gave you Gabriel ;) I hope you guys got some answers to your questions. John knew before Emmy was born that she wasn't his. He also thought for a long time that his wife cheated on him but she DIDN'T (I just don't think Mary would ever do such thing). And even after getting sterilized she still got pregnant. Also Missouri said she was "sent down", I'll let you guys think about that …_**

 ** _So don't forget to send a little review of what you thought of this chapter. I wanna thank every each one of you for following/favoriting me or my stories, you guys are the reason I'm writing this. So as long as you like this, I'll keep doing what I'm doing :)_**

 ** _PS: don't forget to check out my tumblr for some pics!_**

 ** _XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_**


	14. Under a Bad Sign

**Disclaimer: Supernatural doesn't belong to me. I only own my OC Mary-Elisabeth "Emmy" Winchester.**

 _Emmy casted one last look behind her to make sure her family wouldn't catch her before she took a deep breath, mustering up enough courage to open the door. She didn't know what to expect, but she certainly didn't think_ she _'d be sitting there, tied up on a chair, with a big smile, her dark eyes twinkling as if she just won the lottery._

 _"_ _Well, well,"_ she _started slowly, her eyes trailing over Emmy as she took her in. "Finally I get to meet the legendary Mary-Elisabeth Winchester."_

 _Emmy pushed the door open with a trembling hand, closing it with a soft click. She eyed her, remembering Bobby saying that she was just a girl trapped in her own body. Emmy tried to see her as the innocent woman she might be, but it looked like the demon had already monopolized every little aspect of her; from the hard features down to her sharp tongue, making her look nowhere near innocent._

 _She whistled. "Well, aren't you the most adorable little thing I've ever laid eyes upon. Damn, pretty doesn't even come close to describing you. You're even making_ me _jealous," she smiled in a way that made Emmy want to turn around and go back to her room, far away from her. "I know my father told me about your unique soul and the way it radiates but I never expected it to be this intense. You're practically glowing and I can feel your aura. It makes me all warm and fuzzy inside."_

 _Emmy's hand absently went to her collar to finger her necklace. She didn't really feel different with it, it was just a familiar weight resting against her chest. But now, now she felt weaponless, weak, but mostly vulnerable._

 _"_ _My name is Meg by the way."_

 _"_ _I-I know," Emmy whispered, her voice trembling._

 _"_ _Oh, look at that. She talks." Her eyes widened in mock surprise. "So watcha doing here, princess? Cause I know for a fact that those bowlegged brothers of yours would never let you anywhere near sweet me."_

 _Emmy's voice caught in her throat and she suddenly forgot why she was even there in the first place. She fidgeted, wringing her hands as she thought of the most effective way to ask her about her Dad._

 _"_ _I-I just wanted to know where h-he is."_

 _"_ _Johnny boy?" She cocked an eyebrow. "He's dead."_

 _Emmy tried to ignore the big lump in her throat and the tears stinging her eyes. "I-I know you're lying. Please just tell me where my Dad is-"_

 _"_ _Your Dad?" she repeated in disbelief. Emmy didn't understand what she was talking about and her confusion must've shown on her face because Meg suddenly snorted. "I can't believe it," she muttered under her breath before she started laughing._

 _Emmy felt like she was missing the punch line because she didn't get the joke. "W-what is it?"_

 _"_ _Oh, this is so much better than I thought," Meg grinned. "You don't know, do you?"_

 _"_ _Know what?"_

 _"_ _You know I don't think your daddy deserves you. He obviously only keep secrets from you, lying to you all the time."_

 _Emmy jutted her jaw, defending her father. "That's not true." Okay, so he might not always have been honest to her, but that's what families do right? He did it to protect her, not to hurt her._

 _"_ _Oh it is, sweet pea." Meg offered her a compassionate look as if she felt bad for her. "You know who'd be a better father to you? Someone who wouldn't lie, use you or even mistreat you." She didn't wait for Emmy to answer her. "My father … Azazel."_

 _"_ _He's y-your Dad?" Emmy repeated haltingly, horrified at the thought that her father was the one that killed her Mother._

 _"_ _You belong to him and not to that so called man you call daddy," she mocked with disgust._

 _Emmy shook her head. "I don't belong to him."_

 _"_ _Look on the bright side, we could be sisters. How fun is that?" she winked._

 _Emmy kept shaking her head. "I don't belong to him," she repeated in denial._

 _"_ _Yes you do. Your mother promised to offer her precious baby girl to daddy dearest, he has every right to collect what belongs to him. But your stupid jerk of a father got in the way and took what wasn't his. You."_

 _"_ _Stop lying," Emmy spat._

 _"_ _I know I'm a demon, sweetie, and I know we lie. But we love nothing more than hurting people with the truth."_

 **SPN**

Emmy gasped shakily as she woke up, startled. She had to take a second to collect her breath while she tried to make sense of what she just had dreamed of. She noticed she'd been having a lot of these strange, meaningless dreams the last several weeks. They weren't nightmares per se, they were just strange, like _really_ strange. Most of the times she dreamt of stuff that already happened, little random fragments that had no meaning or connection.

Turning on her side, facing her brother Dean, Emmy sighed. It was nearly three in the morning, the motel room was pitch black except for the moonlight seeping in between the curtains. Other than her brother's soft snores and the occasional car driving by, the room was quiet, too. Emmy closed her eyes, trying to fall back asleep but she soon came to realize that her attempt was futile. She felt wide awake mentally, but she knew she was exhausted physically.

Flipping on her back, she draped her arms over the covers and decided to stare up at the ceiling. She started counting the stains which was hard considering the lack of light, but she soon gave up on that, too. She looked back at Dean who seemed to be sleeping peacefully. He always looked so much younger when he was asleep, the hard lines on his face were softened. Emmy felt jealous just by looking at him, wishing she wasn't the one wide awake in the middle of the night.

Blowing a breath, she turned back on her side, facing the other bed where Sam lay. Emmy squinted her eyes, trying to distinguish his sleeping form in the blackness, but it was too dark. If she hadn't known better, she would've thought he wasn't even lying there. Frustrated, she turned on her stomach, balling up the pillow under her head. The smell of her brother's shampoo lingered on the pillowcase and it was kinda calming but not enough to lull her back to sleep. Letting out an aggravated huff, she turned back on her side.

Dean's hand lay between their heads and Emmy reached over to grab the appendage. His skin was calloused while hers was soft, it was such a stark contrast and it proved how hard her brother worked for many years. Sometimes she wondered if her family didn't live the hard-knock life, would they still be the same? Would Dean be as strong as he was now? Would Sam be fluent in Latin? Would her father still be here? And how would she have turned out? A girly girl, who was too immature and took everything for granted?

Emmy dropped Dean's hand and reached for her phone under her pillow. It was barely a quarter after three. She swore she thought it was already four o'clock. Why did minutes always last an eternity when you were unable to fall asleep? Exhaling tiredly, she moved to switch sides again when a firm arm hooked around her waist, pulling her back.

"So help me god if you turn around one more time," Dean muttered under his breath, his eyes still shut.

"Sorry," Emmy whispered sheepishly. "I just can't fall asleep."

Dean slid his other arm under her shoulder, pressing her closer. "Just close your eyes," he told her as he tucked her head under his chin.

Emmy rested her cheek on his chest, founding comfort in his even takes of breath, his warmth and familiar scent. She placed her hand on his heart, feeling the steady beat against her palm. Even though her eyes were closed and she was finally laying still, Dean just knew she was still restless.

"Bad dream?" he asked, his voice still thick with sleep.

She nodded against his chest. "More like a weird dream."

"What was it about?" he questioned while his fingers lightly massaged her scalp, that always did the trick.

"Demons. Meg."

It was just a fraction of a second but Emmy didn't miss how her brother tensed briefly. He responded by holding her a bit tighter, his lips grazing her forehead. "They're just dreams, sweetheart, nothing more," he mumbled against her skin.

"But still, it's strange don't you think?" she wondered out loud. "There always used to be some kind of a connection between my dreams but now I can't think of any."

"That's 'cause they're meaningless."

Emmy craned her neck a little to look up at her brother. "What kinda stuff do you dream about?"

The corners of Dean's lips twitched a little. "Oh, baby, you don't wanna know."

Emmy hit his chest in a weak attempt to berate him. "You're such a perv."

"I was gonna say purple unicorns pooping rainbows, but thanks for being so judgmental."

"You're welcome," she snorted. "Maybe I should ask Sammy about the meaning of my dreams."

"Yeah, I'm sure he'll come up with some psychological theory." Dean yawned, no longer able to fight against his heavy eye lids. "Alright that's enough chitchat for tonight. Go to sleep, sweetheart," he said as he placed a lingering, lazy kiss on her temple.

"Okay." Emmy let out a long breath, snuggling closer to her brother. She knew he wouldn't really sleep until he was sure she was, so she forced herself to suspend consciousness. Somehow, this time she felt herself relaxed enough to doze off. Maybe her brain and body finally agreed to grant her some rest, or maybe it was her brother's presence.

Dean smiled a little when he felt her pick up his hand, placing it back in her hair. Looks like old habits die hard. He obliged and continued massaging her scalp, practically feeling her doze off. Only when he made sure she was asleep, did he grant himself some much needed rest. He usually found peace between Emmy's even takes of breath and Sam's soft snoring, the sounds reassured him of their safety and presence. It was something he always used to do, something he never grew out of. But as he felt himself fall into a slumber, something prevented him from submitting to sleep. A sound was missing.

"Sam?" he whispered into the darkness. "Sam?" he asked again, a little louder this time. When he got no reply, he reached over Emmy to turn on the lights. Dean's blood ran cold as he took in the empty bed, the linens still made as if his brother never even touched the bed.

"Mhmm, wa's wrong?" Emmy slurred.

"Sam's gone."

 **SPN**

"No, I've called him a thousand times, there's nothing but voicemail. I don't know where he went, or why. Sam's just gone."

 _Sam's just gone. He's gone. Sammy's gone. My brother is gone … again._ Those were the only thoughts going through Emmy's mind. She tried to make sense of the last time she saw him, or where he would've gone to but everything was so blurry and confusing. How could he have left again? How did he even dare to ditch them again? But more importantly, why? Emmy tried to believe that her brother loved her and Dean, that he would always stay with them, that he would never leave them without a trace. But it seemed like all Sam ever did was leave. He just couldn't stay and that hurt her more than anything ever did.

After everything they've been through, all the people they've lost, the Winchesters couldn't afford being so reckless. They were all they had anymore, they had to stick together dammit. But it looked like someone shared different opinions on that matter.

Emmy didn't dare to admit, but she wished her brother didn't go off on his own accord. She would be able to accept it easier if something made him leave or snatched him away, instead of being confronted with the fact that he decided to leave. Why is it that she was born in a family that didn't know the meaning of staying? As far as she knew, everyone she knew or met always left. Either they died or they choose to go. Up until this day, only one person has never failed on her, and that was Dean – her biggest brother, the one that practically raised her, the only stability she had in her life.

Emmy didn't move from where she was sitting on the Impala's hood when she felt a pair of muscular arms engulf her in a warm embrace. She pressed her face against her brother's shoulder, trying to dry the tears that didn't seem to want to stop flowing. Her heart ached so bad, she didn't know if she wanted to just break down or destroy everything in her path.

"Shhh, it's okay, sweetheart," Dean consoled as he rubbed her back. "We'll find him. I promise."

Pulling away, she sniffed as she angrily wiped away the tears. "This is all my fault," she sobbed.

"What? Emmy, baby, don't say that," Dean reached over to cup her trembling chin, "It's not your fault, do you hear me?"

"But it is!" she cried as another set of tears rolled down her cheeks. "I knew something was wrong when I woke up that day, if I had told you, we could've caught up to him."

Dean sighed as he perched himself right next to her, his arm still around her small body. "We don't know that Emmy. For all we know, he never even spent the night."

"But how come we didn't notice?" she wanted to know. "All I remember is us watching TV and him working on some case."

"He was complaining about the Wi-Fi and said he was gonna check at the reception, I guess we both fell asleep after he left."

"And we never saw him get back again?" Emmy dropped her head in her hands, devastated. "Dean it's been almost a week, what if something got him?"

Dean gave her a light squeeze. "Hey, this is Sammy we're talking about. He always finds a way out."

Emmy lifted up her head to look up at him. Teary blue eyes full of anguish and misery. "And what if he left?"

Dean reached over to tuck some hair behind her ear, his thumb brushing their mother's earring. Oh how he wished he had the answer to that question. The only thing he barely had was hope, it was the only thing he could give her. "Sammy always comes back."

Dean hated seeing his sister hurt, he didn't show but he was boiling on the inside. Anger bubbled up, wanting to punish whoever got the audacity to bring such emotional pain to his baby sister. But he was torn, torn between wanting to confront his brother for being the reason of their sister's distress, and wanting to find him to ease his mind. Dean always thought after all these years he finally had his brother figured out but moments like these reminded him that maybe he didn't know his brother as well as he had thought he did.

"I don't understand why he always does this," Emmy mentioned sadly.

"Me neither, sweetheart, me neither."

Dean wished he had the answers to Sam's departure but he always came up empty handed. He didn't know what was going on in the mind of that brother of his. He didn't know what made Sam leave every single time. He didn't know if they were the cause and honestly, Dean didn't care anymore. Maybe he couldn't always keep a leash on his brother, he could come to terms with that, but that didn't mean he didn't want to be informed. Leaving with no explanation or a single word was a risk they couldn't take. Sam is and will always be his baby brother, the same kid he taught to walk, the same kid he always stood up for, the same kid that looked up to him. That big brother instinct was a part of Dean, a part that defined him in all his aspects. He couldn't stop carrying and worrying about his siblings, those two things were the only purpose in his life. He literally lived for his family.

"You'll never leave me, will you?" Emmy wrapped her arms around her brother's waist, his amulet bumping against her temple. The leathery touch and smell was so nostalgic, it was comforting.

Dean swore his heart felt like someone was cutting it into pieces. He was touched and moved and it hurt so badly. Not because he realized how much he meant to Emmy, but because he realized how he was the _only one_ she had left. She had no one else to rely on, she depended on him on so many levels, she would be lost without him. And it shouldn't be that way. She should have a family with people who are always there for her, people who would never let her down or ever make her feel alone. Instead she got a surrogate uncle, a brother that couldn't stay and a brother who gave too much but never thought it was enough.

Dean lowered his head to press his lips against her soft hair as he fondly caressed her wet cheek. "I'm not going anywhere, not without you."

Emmy closed her eyes in an attempt to stop another round of fresh tears when she felt something buzzing against her stomach. Dean reached down in his pocket to pick up his cell phone. His eyes almost bulged out of their sockets when Sam's name was displayed on his screen.

"Sammy? Where the hell are you? Are you okay?"

Emmy bolted upright, almost crawling in her brother's lap as she tried to hear Sam's voice at the other end of the line. "Sammy? Is that Sammy? What's he saying? Where is he?"

"Emmy, shh." Dean's arm circled around his sister as he tried to keep her still. "Hey, hey, hey! Calm down. Where are you? All right, don't move, I'm on my way."

 **SPN**

"Emmy, slow the hell down!"

The ten year old paid no mind to her brother's calls as she zoomed out of the parking lot, running straight into the motel. She swore those narrow hallways seemed endless as she checked the door numbers, feeling as though she'll never reach her brother's room. She skidded to a stop, almost tripping over her own feet when she finally arrived at the right room.

The sounds of Dean's heavy boots echoed through the hallway as he tried to catch up with her. "Emmy, wait!"

But Emmy wasn't listening, she only had one thing on her mind and that was finding her brother. Without knocking, she stormed into the room. Still panting, wide eyes scanned the room desperately in search of her brother. No more than a second later, she already spotted him sitting on the bed.

"Sammy!" Emmy jumped on him, almost knocking him over as she hugged him tightly. She didn't care if she was cutting off his airway with her vice like grip, the only thing she cared about was the feeling of his pulse as she buried her face in the crook of his neck.

She let out a long sigh of relief from finally being able to put her mind at ease and put all her worries aside. He was okay, that was all that mattered to her at that moment. She could be mad at him later, but now she was content just holding him.

"Sam! Sam?" Dean called out as he entered the room. He looked around first, an automatic hunter move as he kept an eye out on possible danger or threats. "Sam, hey."

"Hey, Dean," was Sam's indifferent respond.

Dean picked up on the numbness and it sparked his concern. He cautiously walked over to his brother, assessing him which was hard when a little girl had plastered herself on him. Dean kneeled beside him and noticed his skinned knuckles.

"Emmy, baby, why don't you give him some room to breathe," Dean suggested gently.

Emmy decided to pull away, frowning at her brother's numb state. He didn't even hug her back, wasn't he happy to see her as much as she was? Why was he being so detached and dare she say, distrustful? Emmy couldn't shake off the strange feeling creeping up on her.

Only when she detached herself from Sam, Dean could see the crimson spots on his sister's t-shirt. The same blood that stemmed from his brother's clothes.

"Are you bleeding?" he asked, his voice laced with alarm.

Sam looked down in disinterest. "I tried to wash it off."

Emmy looked down at her own clothes, her eyes growing in shock. "Oh my god."

"I don't think it's my blood.

Dean wished it would've sounded comforting, but it didn't. "Whose is it?"

Sam shrugged. "I don't know."

Emmy didn't like how apathetic her brother sounded, he looked so distant, like he wasn't mentally there. If she hadn't known any better, she'd think someone else was wearing her brother's skin, because this wasn't how her Sammy would act.

"Sam, what the hell happened?" Dean demanded dreadfully.

Sam finally looked up, the usual spark in his hazel eyes was missing. "I don't remember anything."

 **SPN**

You know that feeling when you think someone's watching you the whole time? That prickling sensation on your back crawling up your spine? It was all Emmy felt as she stood at the sink of the small kitchenette, trying to wash the blood from her t-shirt. Dean was off to get some food and trying to find out where Sam had been the last few days. Meanwhile, Emmy was on 'babysitting' duty. As she held the cloth under the water, trying to wash away the soap, she couldn't help but fidget nervously. She could literally feel a pair of eyes burning through her skull, but every time she turned around, she found Sam staring at the opposite wall, looking out of it.

Emmy tried to be happy now that they've found her brother, even if the million dollar question remained unanswered, but she couldn't bring herself to get past the suspiciousness. Something was not right, if only she could put her finger on it.

Hanging her t-shirt on the back of a chair to dry, she slowly walked over to her brother, subconsciously keeping some distance.

"So, how're you feeling?"

Sam's head turned to watch her, his eyes staring a little longer than necessary. "Good."

Emmy lifted up an eyebrow. "Good?" she repeated in disbelief. "No offense, but you look horrible."

"I'm fine."

Emmy was a bit taken aback by his short tone. "Okay … So, uh, you have any idea where you've been the last few days?"

"Don't you think I would've told you if I knew?" he sounded lethargic, as if he couldn't care less where he was or what he did.

Emmy figured the boring wallpaper was more interesting than she was when he got back to staring at the wall. Goose bumps appeared on her bare arms when shivers ran up her body. Emmy shrugged off the uneasiness washing over her and crossed the room to open Dean's duffel bag. She searched through it, happy to find a sweater she could wear. She also picked a clean flannel shirt for her brother, all the while ignoring that feeling of having eyes on her back again.

As she turned around, she found her brother still on the same spot. She put on the sweater before handing the shirt to Sam.

"Here, I figured you might wanna get out of those bloody clothes."

"Thanks," was all he said as he took the shirt from her.

Emmy frowned when his fingers touched hers, they were so icy cold. She opened her mouth to ask if he didn't want something warmer when he disappeared into the bathroom, the door creating a barrier between them.

Dropping onto one of the beds, Emmy couldn't shake off the weird feeling. The only problem was that she couldn't figure out what was wrong, other than her brother acting off. She hoped that maybe he was still in shock or maybe he was still trying to process everything that happened, that would explain why he seemed so unapproachable.

Emmy looked up when she heard someone twisting the key. The door opened, revealing Dean, carrying some grocery bags. He shot her a quick smile when he caught her eye.

"Where's Sam?"

"Bathroom," she answered as she helped him with the bags.

As they put their stuff away, Dean noticed her throwing a glance at the bathroom door once in a while. He didn't mention anything until he caught her distractedly biting at the skin around her nails. That was a sign he knew all too well, she was on edge.

Dean playfully tweaked her freckled nose, pulling her eyes away from the door. "What's gotten you all so twitchy, huh?"

Emmy contemplated her next words, she momentarily thought of avoiding the subject but eventually chose against it. "I don't know, he's just acting really weird don't ya think?"

"It's just a lot to take in I guess. Who knows what he's been through the last few days."

"I know, it's just … he's so … I don't know what to …," Emmy bit her lip, finding it hard to come up with the right words, "ugh, nevermind."

Dean turned towards her, giving her his full attention. "No tell me, sweetheart."

Emmy sighed, her shoulders sagging as she did. "I just feel like he's always staring," she whispered as if she was too scared to say it out loud.

"Staring?" Dean repeated with a raised eyebrow. "Meaning …"

"Like I constantly got eyes on my back. But I never really catch him in the act you know, I just feel it."

Dean went quiet for several seconds, his expression pensive. "Well, if it's just a feeling, maybe that's all it is."

"I hope so," she mumbled as she threw another glance at the bathroom door. "I mean why would he even stare at me."

"Cause you're so damn cute," Dean teased, pulling her to him to place a big smooch on her cheek.

"Eww." Emmy wiped away his kiss, giggling a little when Dean pretended to be hurt.

Right at that moment Sam emerged from the bathroom in changed clothes. He looked little less out of it, Emmy noted.

"What'd you find out?" he asked Dean.

"You checked in two days ago under the name Richard Sambora. Of course, I think the scariest part about this whole thing is the fact that you're a Bon Jovi fan – "

"Dean," Sam interrupted.

 _At least he still knows how to perfect his bitch faces_ , Emmy thought.

"Your room's been quiet, nobody's noticed anything unusual."

Sam leaned against the kitchen counter. "You mean no one saw me walking around covered in blood?"

Dean wetted his lips, equally confused. "Yeah. That's what I mean."

Sam dropped his arms in exasperation. "Then how the hell did I get here? What happened to me?"

Dean put up his hands as if to calm him down. "I don't know. But you're okay, and that's what matters. Everything else we can deal with."

"Oh really?" Sam scoffed. "'Cause what if I hurt someone? Or worse?"

"Sammy …" Emmy started softly, this was not where she wanted the conversation to go.

"What if this is what Dad warned you about?" Sam continued.

"Hey! Don't say stuff like that," Emmy berated.

"Yeah man, let's not jump the gun here," Dean added. "We don't know what happened. We've just got to treat this like, like any other job. What's the last thing you remember?"

Sam rubbed at his forehead, his eyes pinched as if it pained him to think. "Just us three, in that motel room in West Texas, going out to grab some burgers, and – "

"West Texas?" Emmy repeated, throwing Dean a concerned look. "Wasn't that like a week ago?"

Dean frowned. "Dude, are you sure? Think harder."

"That's it," Sam shrugged. "Next thing I knew I was sitting here. Bloody. Felt like I'd been asleep for a month."

"Okay." Dean pinched the bridge of his nose, he had the feeling that they were in for one hell of a mystery. "Retrace your steps. The manager said you left yesterday afternoon and he never saw you come back, so," he pulled back the curtain, finding a bloody fingerprint on the window. "Hey."

 **SPN**

Emmy pulled her hood over her head as she felt little drops of water fall from the grey sky. She didn't do it on purpose, but she unconsciously felt herself inch closer to Dean. She wanted to trust Sam but as long as she didn't have a clear answer of what happened, then she couldn't dismiss that suspiciousness.

"Recognize anything?" Dean asked as they walked outside in the rain.

Sam looked around briefly. "Not really … wait." He then started walking the opposite direction as if something suddenly came to his mind.

"What?" Emmy questioned as she had to pick up her stride to keep up with her brothers.

"I think I was here."

Dean watched him closely. "You remember?"

Sam looked hesitant. "Not really, it just ... feels familiar, you know?" Dean shrugged and thought it was worth the try. Sam pointed at the second garage. "Try that one. Yeah."

"Okay." Dean tugged on the padlock.

"Wait," Sam intercepted as he dug in his pocket.

Emmy raised an impressed eyebrow when her brother pulled out a key, handing it to Dean with a significant look. She couldn't help but gaze at her brother out of the corner of her eyes while Dean opened the padlock.

Dean pulled the garage door open, revealing a beat-up, blue Volkswagen Beetle. Dean looked nearly disgusted. "Oh, please tell me you didn't steal this."

"So not the point," Emmy mumbled under her breath as she took a closer look. She opened the door to the driver's side, her nose scrunching up at the smell of nicotine. She touched the wheel, recoiling quickly when her fingers were coated with a wet substance. "More blood."

Dean passed her his handkerchief, helping her wipe her fingers when something else caught his eye. "Sam. Back seat."

Sam grunted as he reached down, picking up a blood-stained knife that stuck to the floor of the backseat. He lifted up the object, twisting it between his fingers as he stared at it. "You think I used this on someone?"

Emmy swallowed hard, not liking how this search was going so far.

There was a pregnant pause before Dean replied. "I'm not thinking anything." He picked up a pack of cigarettes and furrowed his brows. "Okay now this is disturbing. Come on, man, this couldn't have been you. Had to have been someone else, somebody who, uh," he sniffed the pack, "smokes menthols."

"There's a gas receipts on the front seat," Emmy pointed out.

Sam grabbed it, reading it over quickly. "Few town over. Let's go."

 **SPN**

Emmy took off her high-tops, wiggling her sock-clad toes and crossing her legs as she sat in the backseat. She was distractedly by some long-forgotten game on her Nintendo while her mind processed the information overload she just received from the clerk at the gas station.

A drunken Sam, chugging down liquor from the fridge without paying? If she could take the guy for his word, her brother also whipped the bottles at his head. And to top it all off, Sam also stole cigarettes he lit up illegally, smoking them up like a chimney. That pretty much summed up what her brother wasn't.

Dean stared ahead at the dark road, his hands clenching and unclenching around the wheel. He too was growing suspicious but something wouldn't let him. This was Sam they were talking about, he wouldn't hurt a stupid fly, yet all the evidence pointed back at him. Dean knew he would keep denying it until they got to the bottom of it. Looking back at his brother out the corner of his eye, Dean found his brother staring at something, almost glaring with squinted eyes. He followed Sam's gaze to the side mirror where he could see a blonde head hunched over a console, lips chapped as she absently chewed on them, a nervous habit of hers.

Dean frowned at his brother's icy stare, a part of him tried to see the look Sam was giving their sister as harmless. He was probably just keeping an eye out on her, Dean did that all the time. But a bigger part felt the sudden need to protect his sister for some unexplainable reason. Which sounded crazy and illogical to him because this was their brother they were talking about.

"What's going on with you, Sam? Hm?" Dean asked, breaking the silence. Sam seemed to have snapped out of his reveries and that softness in his eyes returned. Dean let out a small sigh in relief. "'Cause smoking, throwing bottles at people, I mean, that sounds more like me than you."

"Even you are way too nice to do those things," Emmy commented from the backseat, earning a wink from her oldest brother.

Sam who had remained silent, suddenly sat up. "Dean, wait, right here. Turn down that road."

"What?" Confused, Dean turned.

"I don't know how I know, I just do."

Emmy sat up as they turned down a back road onto a what looked like a private property. It was a large house with numerous security cameras and emergency lighting. Emmy wondered if she wanted to know what kinda mess her brother got himself into.

"I'm coming with you guys," she mentioned as she hastily put her shoes back on, carelessly pushing the laces in the inside of her shoes.

"Emmy, sit your little ass down," Dean ordered, his voice stern.

Emmy groaned. "Come on, you always do this, I hate being locked up in the car," she whined.

"Your preferences are the least of my problems right now, sweetheart."

"It's okay, let her come," Sam intercepted.

Both Dean and Emmy shot their brother a strange look. Dean was surprised at his leniency while Emmy was surprised at his ambivalence.

"It's fine, trust me," Sam said before exiting the car, leaving his siblings to follow.

Emmy crawled out of the Impala, her face still set in stupefaction. She felt Dean's hand slip in hers, holding it tightly. She tugged at the appendage, pulling his attention. "He's acting off," she whispered.

"Just stay close," he answered in a hushed tone, pulling her along.

Sam looked around at the high level of security. "Whoever lives here, I'd say they don't like surprises."

"Should we knock?" Dean suggested as they mounted the steps to the front door.

"Yeah. I guess," he replied as he rounded the corner to poke around while Dean knocked. "Hey Dean," Sam called as he waved his flashlight through a window.

Emmy picked up a piece of glass from the ledge. The window was smashed in, leaving the curtains to wave in and out of the house.

Dean huffed, unimpressed. "I'm surprised the cops didn't show. Place like this you'd think it'd have an alarm."

Sam found a disabled alarm on the wall, holding up the device. "Yeah, you would."

 **SPN**

Emmy held onto her brother's hand as they went into the house. Her footsteps were light as she stepped over the broken glass covering the floor. The place was dark and eerily quiet. As she looked around, her senses tingled but she couldn't tell why.

Sam was the first to find a backroom and turned on the light. Emmy's hand flew to her mouth as they found a body on the floor.

"Don't look." Dean tucked her face against his chest, covering the sickening sight from her. He then shot a look at his brother, one that said _'does this look fine to you?'._ He should've trusted his gut instincts, it would have saved his sister from another mental scar.

Sam merely dismissed the jab and kneeled behind the body. He placed a hand on it to turn it over. The man's face came in vision, he appeared middle-aged with a deeply cut throat. His eyes were wide open, staring lifelessly.

Sam staggered, looking horrified. "Dean, I did this."

"We don't know that," was Dean's denying response. He hugged Emmy closer when he felt her shiver.

"What else do you need? I mean, how else do you explain the car, the knife, the blood – "

"I don't know, man, why don't you tell me?" Dean snapped, causing Emmy to flinch. He took a deep breath, composing himself. "Look, even if you did do this I'm sure you had a reason, you know; self-defense, uh, he was, he was a bad son of a bitch, something!"

"I need your lockpick."

Dean stared at his brother with pure perplexity. "What?"

"I need your lockpick," Sam stressed. After he got what he wanted, he moved to open a double-door closet in the room. Once it was opened, the inside wall was covered in firearms while the other was filled with charts and clippings.

Dean's jaw slacked. "Holy ... Either this guy's a Unabomber – "

"Or a hunter," Sam breathed in realization. "Dean, I think I killed a hunter."

Dean swallowed dryly. Luckily he caught a security camera near the ceiling. "Let's find out."

 **SPN**

Sitting on Dean's lap, Emmy couldn't take her eyes off of Sam. He was sitting in front of a desktop computer, his face set in concentration. She let her eyes trail over every little expression, every little movement, trying to find something that didn't look right. The way he occasionally sniffed, wetted his lips or shook his head to brush the bangs away from his eyes as he scrutinized the screen, it was all too familiar. This was her brother in the flesh but what about the inside? His actions were unlike him, his feelings seemed too disconnected and his thoughts were different.

Then what was wrong with him?

Emmy felt Dean's warm breath against her ear. "You okay?" he whispered gently.

Emmy merely nodded, never wavering her gaze from Sam. She was grateful she only saw the guy's back. She just couldn't wrap her mind around the possibility that her sweet, loving brother could've killed this so called hunter. Sam – the same Sam that taught her to be kind and respectful, to be tolerant and understanding. This Sam sitting next to her was almost a stranger to her, someone she didn't know.

Dean cleared his throat. "Here we go."

Sam started the recordings. The tape showed Sam fighting with the same man they found dead. The fight moved off the camera and Sam dragged the man back into the frame. He kneeled behind the man, pulling him up against his legs. Emmy's eyes widened when she watched her brother lift his knife. She gasped when she felt a hand covering her eyes, refraining her from seeing the rest. But Emmy didn't need to witness it to know what happened next. She felt sick to her stomach.

 **SPN**

Emmy hugged herself as she leaned against the wall, her hands gripping her arms. She wanted to hurl, cry, break something – but all she managed was to stand still from the shock. Dean was bustling around, cleaning up the mess they made. Sam was still sitting at the desk, staring at the page in his hand.

Dean grabbed the computer, typing away on the keyboard. "How do you erase this? Huh? Sam, come on, I need your help."

Sam remained stock-still. "I killed him, Dean. I just broke in and killed him."

Emmy tried to look past the troubled and aghast expression, but she couldn't. She wanted to believe her brother, feel the horror and disturbance he felt, but she just couldn't. She was supposed to be compassionate and empathic, but the only emotion stirring inside of her was mistrust, doubt and a load of suspicion.

"Listen to me," Dean sounded firm but the light tremble in his voice betrayed his nervousness. "Whoever this guy is, he's a hunter. Which means that other hunters are going to come looking for his killer, which means we've got to cover our tracks, okay?"

"His name was Steve Wandell." Sam stared at the letter in his hands. "This is a letter from his daughter."

Dean bit his bottom lip as he tried to make a difficult decision. Leave this the way it was or help his brother out. His big brother instincts won and before he knew it, he found himself grabbing the CPU, lifting it up above his head before smashing it to the floor. Emmy made a surprised sound as she watched her brother stomping on the remaining pieces for good measure.

Sam stayed unresponsive and Emmy would be lying if she said it didn't anger her somehow. How could he just sit there and do absolutely _nothing_? She understood that he had some heavy stuff to deal with but this was too much.

Dean panted as he tossed his brother a rag. "Wipe your prints, then we go." He moved to Emmy and lifted her up in his arms without a word before making his way out of the house.

 **SPN**

After finishing the usual rituals of salting the door and windows of their new motel room, Dean closed the container of salt with a tired sigh. "All right, we get a couple hours sleep and then we put this place in our rearview mirror."

Sam, perched on the end of the bed, hardly moved or reacted. All he did was stare, stare at Emmy. The ten year old was oblivious of his eyes on her, she was too busy fighting sleep as she watched some old cartoons on the television. Dean however did notice and kinda thought it was unsettling. There was two ways you could watch someone, the right way and the wrong way. And this was definitely wrong. It was almost predatory, reminding him of the way a hunter would look at his prey.

Dean turned off the television, causing Emmy to protest but he paid no mind to it. "Emmy, sweetheart, go get changed and brush your teeth."

"I'm not tired," she insisted with a yawn she tried to hide behind her hand.

Dean cracked a small smile as he ran his hand through her hair. "'f course you're not. Now go, go, go," he ushered, patting her bottom. "Don't lock the door."

Dean waited until the door was closed before he addressed his brother. Sam looked so distressed yet at the same time Dean felt like he wasn't even fazed by the whole situation. The oldest Winchester couldn't figure out why he suddenly couldn't read his brother. He usually only had to look at his siblings for a second to know what was on their mind. But somehow he couldn't get through and that was a first. Maybe Sam finally mastered the techniques of wearing a mask, covering up his emotions and thoughts, or maybe Dean was losing his touch.

"So what's with the looks?"

"What looks?" Sam asked.

Dean scoffed. "Are you kidding me right now?"

"I don't know what you're talking about, Dean," Sam denied.

Dean couldn't believe his ears. He literally had to ball his fists to contain his frustration. He ran a weary hand down his face. "Look, I know this whole thing is bad, okay? But you gotta snap out of it. This is getting beyond creepy and disturbing." When Sam still didn't reply, he snapped. "Sam, say something!"

"Just get some sleep and leave in the morning?" Sam repeated his previous words. "Murder, Dean. That's what I did."

Dean pressed his lips in a thin line, hunting for the right words to say. "Maybe." Sam scoffed. "Okay? Hey, we don't know... shapeshifter!"

"Oh, come on," Sam rolled his eyes. "You know it wasn't, you saw the tape. There was no eye flare, no distortion."

"Yeah, but it wasn't you!" Dean stressed. "All right? I mean, yeah, it might have been you, but it wasn't you."

"Well, I think it was," Sam said quietly, his gaze downcast. "I think maybe more than you know."

Dean sputtered. This was getting more absurd with the minute. "What the hell does that mean?"

Sam dropped his head, avoiding eye contact. "For the last few weeks I've been having ... I've been having these feelings."

"What feelings?"

"Rage. Hate. And I can't stop it. It just gets worse. Day by day, it gets worse."

There was a pregnant silence as Dean let the words sink in. "You never told us this."

Sam still didn't look up. "I didn't want to scare you."

Dean nodded, his jaw clenched. "Well, bang-up job on that."

Emmy emerged from the bathroom dressed in some comfortable shorts and long sleeved shirt. She tucked her dirty clothes in a bag with a yawn. This day was full of surprises and it took a toll on her, she was exhausted. She noticed Sam sitting on one of the beds with his head in his hands. She studied him, trying to feel something inside of her, but there was _nothing_. Normally seeing her brothers hurt or upset, left her emotional. Usually her heart went out to her brothers, she'd feel this ache. But watching Sam, the only gut reaction stirring inside of her was wariness.

"The yellow-eyed demon, you guys know he has plans for me," Sam reminded them softly. "And we both know that he's turned other children into killers before, too."

"No one can control you but you," Dean said through gritted teeth.

Sam slowly shook his head. "It sure doesn't seem like that, it feels like no matter what I do, slowly but surely I'm, I'm just becoming... "

Emmy quietly crawled in bed, never taking her eyes off Sam as she slowly awaited for him to finish his sentence. "What?" she pushed softly.

"Who I'm meant to be." Sam's eyes caught hers and Emmy couldn't help but swallow with a dry mouth as she spotted resignation in his eyes, as if he had given up the fight, succumbing to his faith.

Sam turned his head towards Dean. "I mean, you said it once yourself, Dean. I gotta face up to who I am."

Dean stood up, throwing his hands in the air. "I didn't mean this!"

"But it's still true. You know that. Dad knew that too," Sam continued with that icy calm voice of his. "That's why he told you, if it ever came to this …

Dean pointed a warning finger at him. "Shut up, Sam."

"Dean, you promised him. You promised me."

Emmy looked up at her oldest brother. "You _promised_ him? When? Why would you even say that?"

Dean held up a hand. "Emmy, now's not the time to discuss – "

"Uh, I'm pretty this is the perfect time," she argued. "How could you promise you'd _kill_ your own brother?"

Dean looked upwards, letting out an aggravated sigh. This was getting out of hand. "Listen to me. We're gonna figure this out. Okay?" Emmy scowled, giving him that look that meant this wasn't over. "I mean, there's gotta be a way, right?"

"Yeah there is." Sam reached behind him to grab his handgun, shoving it at Dean who looked down at the weapon like he never saw anything like it before in his life. "I don't wanna hurt anyone else. I don't wanna hurt you or Emmy."

Emmy gasped, her eyes widening in fear and shock. "Sammy, you won't. Whatever this is, you can fight it. I know you can."

"No. I can't. Not forever." Sam's eyes started tearing up as he addressed Dean. "Here, you gotta do it." When his brother stayed motionless, he grabbed his hand and placed it around the gun.

Dean didn't move and just stared at Sam in consternation. How did they let it come to this? Where did it go wrong? What happened to change his brother's mind so drastically? Where was the fearless Sam that was full of hope, bravery and life? The same Sam that wouldn't back down in a fight or surrender so easily? It was like Emmy and Dean didn't even know their brother anymore.

"You know, I've tried too hard to keep you safe," Dean said with a shaky voice.

Sam nodded. "I know."

Dean swallowed past a lump. "I can't. I'd rather die."

Emmy watched as Dean shouldered past Sam, dropping the gun on the bed. She felt relief washing over her, eased in mind when her brother made the right choice. Not that she ever doubted Dean but for a second there she really thought this was going to end in the worst way.

"No. You'll live."

Emmy frowned when Sam spoke up. As her eyes crossed his, her breath caught in her throat and her heart dropped when she came face to face with a pair of black orbs. Her voice was stuck as she tried to warn Dean.

"You'll live to regret this." Sam pistol-whipped Dean who fell to the floor unconscious.

"Dean!" Emmy cried, cursing her vocal cords for suddenly working when it was already too late. She jumped out of bed, going straight for her brother. "Dean! Dean, wake up!"

 _Sam's_ boots came into view from where she sat on the carpet with her brother's head in her lap. Emmy instinctively wrapped her arms around Dean in an attempt to protect him from this monster who clearly wasn't her brother.

"Stay away!" she warned viciously.

"How about you leave brother dearest sleep off his stupor while you come with me," _Sam_ suggested with a smirk that was so uncharacteristic. It took everything in her to not see her brother for the guy he was, but the demon possessing him.

"Like hell I will!"

"Oh, I don't think Sammy approves of your choice of language."

His eyes went back to their natural color but it did nothing to comfort Emmy, all she wanted to do was rip that smug smile off his face.

"Go to hell," she spat.

 _Sam_ laughed. "Oh, honey, been there, done that."

"Well, next time _stay_ there," she retorted.

"Can't, had to pass a message from Johnnie boy, he says howdy by the way."

Emmy clenched her teeth, her lips quivering as she tried her best to fight off the tears.

"Aw, don't cry now." _Sam_ lifted up his hand to stroke her cheek but Emmy lashed out.

"Don't touch me!"

"God, you're feisty," he smiled proudly.

"Who are you?" Emmy demanded, still holding her brother's head, secretly hoping he'd come to.

Sam touched his heart, feigning to be offended. "I know it's been a while, but I never thought you'd forget me so easily. After all, we did share some fun moments. Don't you remember … little sister?"

Emmy held her breath when realization hit her harder than a truck. She felt like someone threw a bucket of ice cold water of her, freezing her. _"Meg?"_

"That's one hell of a curve I threw you, don't ya think?"

Emmy was still speechless, unable to comprehend that all that time her brother was possessed. Sam, Sammy, was somewhere in there trapped in his own body. Tortured to stand by as he watched this black eyed bitch take advantage of him. Emmy was partly relieved that all that horrible stuff wasn't her brother's doing, yet that didn't take away the fact that Sam was _possessed_.

"Okay so since you still seemed to be in some shock, I suggest you leave Dean-o here while you come with me."

"N-no, no way," Emmy protested, shaking her head.

"Listen, sister, your brother's lucky he only got a blow to the head, I'm capable of stuff you wouldn't even see in your worst nightmare. Now either you obey like the good little girl I know you are, or you can say bye bye to big bro. Your choice."

Emmy looked between her two brothers, torn between wanting to protect Dean and Sam at the same time. She let her trembling fingers stroke Dean's soft hair as she sniffed. She had to make a choice between the brother that needed her the most right now. Dean was unconscious, but soon he would wake up and strike back. Sam on the other hand was powerless, vulnerable. He was still in there somewhere, maybe if she tried she could reach him …

Emmy looked back up at Meg, trying to see past the familiar, gentle face of her brother. That bitch had taken something that didn't belong to her. She was using her brother for her own twisted plans and she was about to pay for that. "Fine," Emmy eventually whispered, giving in.

 _I'll save you, Sammy. I promise._

 **SPN**

Emmy gripped the seatbelt with white knuckles, her nails digging into the palm of her hands. She was plastered against the passenger's door, far away from Meg who was humming to some tune as she sped down the road. Her reckless driving was nerve-wracking and Emmy was afraid for her own life and Sam's. The sun was slowly rising, coloring the sky in purple and pink tints. It was a beautiful sight and normally Emmy would find peace at staring at the beautiful view, but all she could think of was Dean waking up and finding out they were both gone.

Meg reached over to lower the volume of the radio. Emmy hated how she felt so comfortable in the Impala, this was Baby, no one drove Baby but the Winchesters. Emmy closed her eyes, trying to take a deep breath before letting it out slowly. She held onto the thought that her brother was physically the one driving the car. He might not be mentally present, but he was still there.

"You don't talk much, do you?"

"Piss off," Emmy muttered under her breath.

Meg snorted. "I like you. You got spunk."

"Feelings are not mutual." Emmy shivered, tucking her knees against her chest. She was only dressed in her sleep attire and goose bumps covered her bare skin. The youngest Winchester was cold but she wouldn't say it out loud, too afraid to ask and too proud to admit.

Emmy shot her brother a sideway glance. The way he looked ahead, occasionally tapping his fingers on the wheel, he looked so normal. You wouldn't tell he was possessed until he opened his mouth.

Emmy cleared her throat. "So, uh, you've been in Sammy since he disappeared, haven't you?"

 _Sam_ laughed and the sound was so familiar, it brought tears to Emmy's eyes. "You guys should've seen your faces when you thought he murdered that guy." She scoffed. "Pathetic."

"So why didn't you kill us when you had the chance?" Emmy couldn't help but ask.

"Nah, that would have been too easy. Where's the fun in that? You see, this was a test. Wanted to see if I could push you guys far enough to waste Sam. Should've known you wouldn't have the balls," Meg mumbled the last part, more like it was meant for herself.

"So what's the plan now?" Emmy asked with trepidation.

"Oh, this is where the real fun begins," she grinned evilly. "I'm gonna kill Dean and every other hunter I can find. One look at Sam's dewy eyes? They'll let me right in their door."

Emmy's glistening eyes widened in terror. "I-I don't understand. What's this have to do with me or Sammy?"

"Don't worry about you two, I promised my father to keep you in one piece. He needs you guys whole."

Emmy swallowed hard, almost too scared to ask. "F-for what?"

"Wouldn't be a surprise if I told you." Meg glanced down at her with a devilish smirk, her eyes coal black. "All you need to know is that you and Sam will go back to where you belong."

"I don't belong to anyone, especially not you or Azazel," Emmy spat disgusted. "My dad warned me about this."

"Oh, honey," Meg shook her head with a chuckle. "So naïve, so ignorant."

"Don't call me that," Emmy shot back, only Sammy could use that endearment. "And what are you talking about?"

"I know something you don't," she sang teasingly before laughing.

Emmy was growing frustrated and angry by the second. "I'm sure you're not the only one, so don't feel so special."

"Oh man, the amount of secrets your brother's got stored up in here," she tapped her temple, "is un-be-frikkin'-lievable."

"Tell me something I don't know." Emmy knew how her brothers weren't honest about everything, but her suspicion was never confirmed until now. She tried to ignore the hurt, knowing that now wasn't the right moment to hold a grudge.

"I bet you don't know anything about the Daddy-mystery, huh?"

Emmy raised her eyebrows in confusion. "The _Daddy-mystery_?"

"Well, I wouldn't really call him Daddy since he- " Meg stopped midsentence. Her eyes were pinched closed, forehead wrinkling and nostrils flaring.

Emmy recognized the facial expression, this was Sam's angry face. For a fleeting second, she thought this was her brother surfacing. Especially when his eyelids lifted, revealing his trustful eyes. Emmy held her breath, not sure who was in control.

"Sammy?" she whispered so quietly she was afraid he didn't hear her.

Emmy barely had the chance to say or do more when those hazel eyes suddenly drowned in the blackness with only one blink. The sight felt like someone plunged a knife in her heart, twisting it around. She almost had her brother, he was there for merely a second but he slipped right through her fingers like sand.

Meg laughed. "Wow, your brother surely got a will of iron."

"Is he in there?" Emmy asked softly.

"He sure is."

"What's he saying?" she wanted to know.

"Just million ways of sending me back to hell, I would tell you but I'm pretty sure they're PG13. He's such a charmer that brother of yours," she smiled.

"Can I, is there a way … uhm, can I talk to him?" Emmy questioned.

"Once this is over, you two can chat to your hearts' contents, how's that sound, huh?"

"God, I hate you so much right now." Emmy wasn't afraid of her anymore. This bitch was literally using up all her patience and self-control.

Meg laughed. "You're like the sister I never had."

 **SPN**

Emmy had no idea when the black night suddenly lit up with the rise of the sun, she was too caught up with Sam a.k.a. _Meg,_ and her brother Dean. She was hoping he would be up by now, on his way to find them. Either way, she wished he would be on time before the demon got to her sinister plans. Emmy still had no idea where they were going but she caught sight of some road signs signaling the direction to South Dakota, and it seemed that Meg was purposefully heading that way.

Emmy closed her eyes, she was exhausted, mentally and physically. Being up all night while constantly staying on guard was tiring to say the least. Sometimes she would doze off to Sam's humming, only to remind herself that this wasn't her brother, it was a demon. Emmy still had a hard time grasping the fact that Sam wasn't present, it was him in the flesh but at the same time she couldn't reach him. She wondered if he was seeing the same stuff Meg saw, or if he was hearing the things she heard. If Meg would cross the line, will he be able to take over? She successfully knocked out Dean _and_ kidnapped Emmy, but it didn't look like Sam had control. The fact that he was so vulnerable and defenseless, only put a damper on Emmy's hope.

"Looks like I need to fill the gas tank," Meg spoke up after hours of silence.

The demon had tried numerous times to engage in a conversation but to no avail. Emmy stubbornly refused to answer or give her any kind of attention for that matter. After several failed attempts, the demon gave up and Emmy would be lying if she said she didn't feel some spark of proudness. She made a demon shut up, that's definitely a victory.

Meg pulled up at the gas station. "You want anything?"

Emmy didn't respond as she continued staring through the window.

"You need to go to the restroom?" When Emmy continued ignoring her, Meg rolled her eyes. "Fine, don't come to me when you're starving or wetting your pants."

Emmy watched as she emerged from the car before locking the doors. Meg pointed a warning finger at her. "Stay."

"I'm not a frikkin' dog," Emmy mumbled.

Meg left and Emmy let out a heavy sigh. She didn't realize how tense she was until she felt her muscles ache. She felt miserable, torn between wanting to fight that black eyed bitch and save her brother. There had to be way to get to Sam, she already got proof that he was in there but how does she get to him?

A muffled ring nearly got her jumping out of her skin. Emmy's hand flew to her beating heart, trying to collect herself. She searched through the glove department, finding the ringing phone. The caller-id was anonymous and for a brief moment she hesitated between picking up and letting it ring. For all she knew, this was a number her brothers used when they were undercover, the last thing she wanted was blow their cover. Eventually she decided to pick it up anyway.

"Hello?" she spoke hesitantly.

" _Emmy, sweetheart?_ _Is that you?"_ said the rushed voice.

The ten year old sat up straight. "Dean!"

There was static sound as she heard him exhale loudly in relief. " _Oh thank god, baby are you okay? Are you hurt? What happened? Where are you? How far out – "_

"Whoa, calm down," Emmy interrupted his rant. "Uh, I'm fine. Just tired that's all."

" _You sure? 'Cause I swear if he touched you I'm gonna rip him apart."_

"No, no, I'm okay, I swear," Emmy tried to reassure him. "Dean, this is not Sammy."

" _Yeah, I figured that much."_

Emmy kept an eye on the doors to the small convenience store, making sure Meg was still in there. "He's possessed."

" _Are you sure? Try saying Cristo or some holy water, I'm sure there's a bottle in the trunk somewhere."_

"Oh, I'm one hundred percent sure, she even told me."

" _She?"_ Dean repeated. It only took him five seconds until he caught on. " _Son of a bitch, it's Meg isn't it?"_

"Yeah," Emmy sighed.

" _What does she want?"_ Dean spat.

Emmy could practically imagine his face contorting in rage. "Uh, I'm not sure. Something about wanting to kill every hunter and – oh crap she's coming." Emmy ducked her head, hiding from the window.

" _Okay just tell me where you are,"_ Dean pushed.

"We're four hours away from South Dakota. Dean I think we're going to uncle Bobby's," Emmy whispered in a rushed tone.

" _I'm on my way. Be careful sweetheart, I'm coming for you, okay?"_

"Okay, bye Dean." Emmy was about to hang up when she abruptly added a quick, "Love you." Not waiting for his answer she shut the phone, hiding it under her seat right when Meg unlocked the doors.

Emmy shifted under Meg's stare, feeling fidgety when those eyes seemed to trail over her.

"What's with you?"

"Nothing," Emmy replied hastily, never making eye contact.

Meg squinted her eyes. "Your light has changed colors, it's pulsing."

This time Emmy did look up. "My _what_?"

Meg rolled her eyes. "God, you're so oblivious, it's pathetic."

Emmy scoffed. "Well, you're so rude, it's pitiful. I would feel sorry for you, but you seem to be doing a good job by yourself."

Meg laughed. "That's a good one! You think I feel sorry for myself? Oh, honey, I'm living la vida loca. No rules, no obligations, no responsibility – humans would kill to trade their lives with mine. Besides, I stopped fighting my inner demons a long time ago, we're on the same side now."

"Submitting to your demons is what a coward would do, and that's what you are to me," Emmy shot back.

Meg turned to Emmy with a stare so fierce she had to gulp. Did she just offend a demon? "You don't think I tried to fight my demons? Trust me, honey, I tried to drown them many times only to realize that they can swim."

With that, Meg put the keys in the ignition, starting up the car before burning rubber. Emmy tossed a sideway glance at her brother. His jaw was strained and his hands were gripping the wheel so tightly, his knuckles turned white. Even though a demon was controlling him, Emmy could still read that expression. The same look he pulled when he was upset, angry about something. It left Emmy wondering what Meg would be distressed about.

"Learn to tame the demon inside, before it eats you alive," Emmy suddenly broke the silence, earning a weird look from Meg. "Pastor Jim used to tell me this, he was certain that anyone could fight off their demons with illumination and forgiveness."

Meg snorted. "Do you know what I am, little girl? Do you need me to draw you a picture?"

"I'm not stupid," Emmy spat. "All I'm saying is that even the devil was once an angel."

Meg lifted up her eyebrows. "Well, it's gonna be a challenge to turn you over to the dark side, miss rainbows."

"What's that even supposed to – "

"You know," Meg cut her off, "I like you a lot better when you shut that little mouth of yours."

Meg leaned over to turn on the radio on full blast, ending the conversation. Emmy didn't mind, she wasn't in the mood to talk anyway. But she still couldn't help but remember those words Meg said, about her not able to drown her demons. The way she said it was so relinquishing, as if she was disappointed in herself for not trying her best at fighting them off. Emmy was having her doubts about the fearless and heartless demon – what if she was just putting up this brave façade to conceal how lost she felt…

 **SPN**

Emmy's biggest fear came true when the Impala drove past the sign of The Salvage Yard, leaving a cloud of dust behind. It was late in the afternoon and she had hoped that her surrogate uncle wouldn't be home, but her heart dropped to her stomach when she spotted the familiar, beat-up truck.

"What are we doing here?"

Meg stopped the car, turning off the engine before twisting in her seat to look at Emmy. "Just paying a little visit," she smirked.

Emmy didn't like the sound of that. "This is Bobby we're talking about, he's one of the best hunters out there, you'll stand no chance against him."

"Is that a challenge? 'Cause I will gladly accept it."

Emmy's eyes constantly darted back to the house. She had to find a way to get there so she could warn Bobby. There had to be a way …

"Now, let's set some ground rules. If you utter one word about this, I will skin you alive. So I advise you to shut up, shouldn't be so hard since all you did the past several hours was breathe. Rule number two, if you so much as – _HEY!"_

Meg didn't get the chance to continue when Emmy suddenly bolted out of the Impala. The ten year old ran as fast as she could, her sock clad feet hitting against the gravel. Her soles ached and stung from the little stones but she didn't let that stop her. From the sound of it, Meg was close and she should've known because have you seen Sam's legs? But she still had that spark of hope of being able to beat her brother even though the chances were slim.

Emmy's freedom was short lived when she felt a large hand wrap around her wrist, jerking her to a stop, causing her to collide against a hard chest. She tugged at her hand, trying to free herself when she remembered what Dean taught her.

 _Rotate your wrist until your thumb lines up with where my fingers meet my thumb_ … _Now jerk sharply by bending your arm at the elbow._

With one swift move, Emmy suddenly found her wrist free from her brother's hold. She was momentarily in shock that it even worked before she got back to reality.

"Not so fast." Meg had her by the waist, lifting her up.

Emmy threw her legs about, hating that she was so weak compared to her brother's strong physique.

"Let me go!"

Meg carried her to an old, rusted car before putting her back to her feet. Emmy made a move to run off again when she got pushed back against the car. Her back hurt from the collision but she bit her tongue. She already felt powerless, no need to display how she felt.

"So you love a little game of chase, huh?" Meg panted, wetting her lips. "You could've just told me you know."

"Kiss my ass," Emmy spat.

Meg chuckled. "Uh-uh, language."

Emmy fought against the restraints, trashing about. "Just let me go!" The youngest Winchester started shoving, kicking, pushing and throwing fists, hoping to somehow inflict as much damage as she could.

"Hey!" Sam's hands wrapped around her upper arms tightly and Emmy whimpered because of the pain. She was sure her arms were going to bruise. "Listen to me you little shit, my patience is running thin. I am _not_ gonna let my plan get ruined by some whiny little girl, is that clear?!"

Emmy had to swallow hard as she blinked against the tears. She wasn't used to her brother using this tone with her. His eyes were full of anger and hate and it hurt because for once, the glare wasn't directed to some monster or villain. No, he was looking at _her_ like that. She tried to remind herself that this wasn't her Sammy, he would never ever talk to her like that or even grab her so firmly, but it was getting harder to distinguish him from the demon. She was struggling with seeing the difference between the two personalities.

Meg's snarl got replaced with a fake smile. It happened so fast, Emmy was certain that if she had blinked, she wouldn't have noticed. "Now you do as I say, and I promise I'll let you live." Meg reached out to tuck some blonde stray strands of hair behind Emmy's ear, but the young girl flinched, recoiling from the touch.

Emmy didn't know if it was the light or just her imagination, but she could've sworn that she saw a hint of sorrow flashing in her brother's eyes. But the flicker in his hazel orbs vanished as quick as it came.

Meg stood back up, releasing Emmy. The demon jerked her head, signaling for the ten year old to walk ahead. With slumped shoulders and her head down, Emmy started walking wordlessly. She felt such a failure for not being able to stand up against the demon. Her brother must've been so disappointed in her. She had the chance to save him but she blew it.

Emmy's feet stung with every step she took on the front porch before she lifted up her fist to knock on the door. She could hear Rumsfeld bark from somewhere in the back. The black Rottweiler came running towards her and Emmy couldn't help but smile. She crouched down in front of the dog to hug it closely, giggling a little as it licked her face excitedly.

Meg cleared her throat, catching the dog's attention. She glared at him with narrowed, black eyes, causing the dog to bark again.

"Get him to stop, or I will," Meg threatened.

"Shh, it's okay, Rummy, it's okay," Emmy whispered into its ear, trying to calm it down. She'll never forget how Meg made the dog disappear for days the last time she was here.

Meg knocked again, impatiently.

"Hold your horses!" was Bobby's rough reply. The door opened, revealing the rugged man in his usual attire – a pair of old jeans, an oil-stained shirt and his tattered cap. A surprised but happy smile split his face in two. "Sam! Emmy!"

"Hey, Bobby!" _Sam_ smiled back.

Emmy wanted to speak but she didn't trust her voice, so she opted for hugging the man around the waist. The old man hugged her back, slightly confused about the fact that she was still in her pajamas.

"It's been a while," he said as he patted her back. He pulled away but not without missing the brief hesitance as Emmy reluctantly let go.

Emmy felt his questioning eyes on her but looked away. If she gave away that something was off, not only will she pay the price but so will he. She couldn't risk that.

"Well, come on in!" Bobby opened the screen door, letting them enter the house.

Emmy kissed the top of Rumsfeld's head before going in. _Sam_ entered slowly, glancing at the ceiling while Bobby shut the door behind him. As they walked together into Bobby's study, Emmy observed the dimly lit room with walls covered with stacks of books and papers – it was a familiar place, somewhere she always felt home and safe. That's what she tried to remind herself, _I'm home and safe._

"So what brings you?" Bobby asked.

"Working a job nearby, and Emmy thought we'd stop in and say hey." Sam's hand cupped the back of Emmy's neck and it took everything in her not to wince.

Bobby instantly took note of Emmy's fingers fidgeting with the hem of her t-shirt. His study didn't provide enough light but he still could detect something on her upper arms, something like finger prints …

"Well, where's Dean?"

 _Sam_ laughed. "Holed up somewhere with a girl and a twelve pack."

Emmy bit her bottom lip as she tried to look away but _his_ fingers gripped the back of her neck, holding her still. She caught Bobby going back into the back room and she felt fear strike her, fear of being left alone with the demon again.

"Oh yeah? She pretty?" Bobby asked from the kitchen.

"You ask me, he's in way over his head."

Emmy looked up just in time to see her brother's eyes turn black. _He_ winked at her making her drop her gaze with clenched teeth.

Bobby returned with two beers in one hand and a bottle of water in the other. He handed the beer to _Sam_ while Emmy accepted the water. She was thirsty and starving but as long as Meg's cover wasn't revealed her stomach would remain clenched up in knots.

"Well, it's good to see you." Bobby raised his bottle. "To John."

"To dad," _Sam_ nodded. He turned to look up at the ceiling again as he took a draw from the beer when he suddenly spewed.

Emmy's eyes widened as she stared at her brother choking. He fell to his hands and knees and started coughing and gagging painfully. She threw a concerned and questioning look at Bobby who sipped at his beer, unconcerned.

"What'd you do?!" _Sam_ sputtered, still coughing.

"A little holy water in the beer. Sam never would have noticed. But then again, you're not Sam are you." Bobby reached over to grab Emmy's hand, pulling her away from him. "Don't try to con a con man." With that being said, he slammed his fist into Sam's face, knocking him out.

"Sammy!" Emmy dropped to her knees, shaking her brother. "What did you do?" she demanded as she wiped away some blood trickling from his nose.

"He'll be just fine, hon." Bobby pulled her away again and Emmy let him. "Now, you're gonna tell me what the hell is goin' on."

 **SPN**

It was slowly getting dark outside when Dean arrived with some car he had hotwired. He had driven all day long without making a single stop. He probably ignored every speed limit and red light but he didn't give a flying shit. He was so hopped up on adrenaline and all he wanted was to get to his siblings. He didn't even bother to turn off the ignition, or close the car door for that matter, as he ran up the porch.

"Bobby!" he shouted as he opened the screen door with such a force, it almost flew off its hinges. "Bobby!"

Dean stormed down the hallway, stopping short when he caught Sam tied to a chair, right before a fire and under the same protective circle they used the last time they caught Meg. He slowly walked over to his brother who seemed unconscious. Dean carefully turned Sam's head so he could study his face better.

"Oh, Sammy," he whispered. Dean couldn't imagine how hard it must've been for his brother to be trapped in his own body. The things Meg made him do, Sam would never forgive himself for it.

"I see you've came to join the party, too."

Dean turned around to find Bobby standing at the doorframe with his arms crossed.

"Where's Emmy?"

"Well, hi to you, too," Bobby grumbled. He received a look from Dean that said now was really not the time to joke around. "She's in the kitchen."

"Thanks," Dean patted the man's shoulder as he rushed to the kitchen.

Emmy was sitting cross legged on the counter, munching on some sandwiches with peanut butter and jelly as she occasionally handed some to Rumsfeld who was sitting at her feet. She was dressed in some clean clothes, an old AC/DC t-shirt that fell down to her knees and some shorts. Her hair was still wet from her shower as some water drops trickled their way down her bare knees.

Dean let out a long breath of relief and the sound alerted Emmy. She looked up from feeding the dog, her blue eyes widening at seeing the familiar face.

"Dean!" She jumped off the counter, running straight into his arms.

With her legs wrapped around his waist and her arms around his neck, she buried her face in the crook of his neck, breathing in the smell of home. Now she could truly say that things were going to be okay, because that's what Dean did, he made things okay.

Dean nuzzled her soft cheek before he pressed multiple kisses to the side of her face. "God, it's so good to see you."

"Right back at ya," she mumbled against his warm skin.

"Lemme take a look at you," Dean said as he put her back on the kitchen counter. He cupped her heart-shaped face, letting his eyes check if everything was still intact. "Are you okay? Did you get hurt?"

"Just my feet." Emmy pointed at the several bandages covering her cuts marring the soles of her feet.

Dean didn't like seeing his baby hurt in anyway, but he tried to calm down by telling himself it was just cuts. It was nothing permanent and it was going to heal in no time. She was just fine, unless there was more …

"Did she do anything to hurt you?"

Emmy avoid his piercing, green eyes. "No," she mumbled.

Dean was not convinced. "Did she touch you? If she did, Emmy you have to tell me."

"It's nothing," she shook her head, letting her bangs fall in front of her eyes.

Dean brushed the wet hair from her sweet face before cupping her chin. "Don't lie to me, sweetheart."

Emmy scrunched up her freckled, button nose before sighing. She slowly lifted up her sleeves to uncover the beginning bruises. Dean's jaw clenched as he detected the handprints. He touched the skin but his sister stiffened so he pulled away. Dean slammed his hands on the counter, it took everything in him to contain his anger. He was not going to lose his cool.

"I-it's okay," Emmy reassured him quietly. "Bruises heal, besides it's not the first time."

"It's _not_ okay, Emmy!" her brother snapped causing her to flinch. Dean closed his eyes, controlling his temper. Damn, he couldn't remember being this pissed off since some douchebag told him the Impala was just a piece of scrap.

"I should've fought harder," Emmy muttered under her breath.

Dean looked back up in confusion. "What?"

"If I hadn't let him take over so easily, I could've avoided all of this – "

"Emmy, don't say that. It's not your fault, do you hear me," he told her firmly.

"No, Dean," she objected with tears threatening to spill. "It's not just the bruises, it's everything! If I had done something the moment I knew it wasn't him or the moment he knocked you out, I could've prevented all of this from happening."

"Hey, hey, look at me." Emmy hid her face behind her hands and Dean reached over to pull them away. He cupped her chin, turning her head towards his. "C'mon, look at me, baby." Emmy shook her head with a sob but he still managed to catch her eyes. "Stop blaming yourself, sweetheart. There's nothing you could've done to stop this. And what are you saying you didn't fight hard enough? You spent an entire day with a demon without setting it off, which acquires some serious skills. Skills that I certainly don't have. So no you didn't fail, you did a great job, Emmy. You should be proud of that 'cause I am."

Emmy sniffed, wiping her nose with her sleeve. "But I didn't save Sammy."

Dean dropped his arms around her, one hand rubbing her back while the other tucked some hair behind her ears. "It's not about what you didn't do, it's about what you did do. Sam's right here with us, and even though he got a bit thrown around, he's a big boy, he can handle it. What's more important is that he will be fine, you lead him right back to us so we can save him and torch that bitch. All thanks to you."

Emmy felt her brother wipe away her cheeks as he planted another kiss on her blotchy cheek. "You sure you can help Sammy?"

"I'm Batman, remember?" He winked playfully.

Emmy couldn't help but crack a soft smile.

Bobby suddenly appeared at the kitchen, a little breathless. "Someone's up from his nap time."

Dean nodded before addressing his sister. "Emmy, you stay here."

"The hell I will. I will not just sit here while you guys get to have all the fun."

Bobby smirked as Emmy jumped off the counter, she winced a little from the cuts on the bottom of her feet, before she stubbornly made her way to the living room. He casted Dean a look and said, "Oh, she's definitely a Winchester."

Dean watched the two of them leave the kitchen with a somber expression. "Yeah, she is."

 **SPN**

Emmy entered the room with a little trepidation in her steps. At first she felt bad for her brother, not only was he trapped in his body, he was also trapped in some protective circle. He looked so innocent and out of place in that chair. He wasn't supposed to have those ropes restraining him or that bruise on the side of his face. She was momentarily wondering why they were doing this again when Meg smiled at her.

"There you are! I already thought you bailed on me."

Bobby put a hand on her shoulder, gently pushing her back a little. He pointed a warning finger at _Sam_. "You already done enough talking, so zip it."

Meg merely laughed until someone else entered the room. "Dean. Back from the dead. Getting to be a regular thing for you, isn't it? Like a cockroach."

Dean pushed his sleeves up before cracking his knuckles. "How about I smack that smartass right out of your mouth?"

"Oh, careful, now. Wouldn't want to bruise this fine packaging." _Sam_ wiggled his eyebrows tauntingly.

"Oh don't worry, this isn't gonna hurt Sam much." Dean turned to pick up a bucket and Emmy wondered what he was going to do with it. "You, on the other hand ..."

Emmy's lips parted as she watched her brother toss the bucketful of what seemed to be holy water on _Sam._ She watched him sizzle as his skin literally started to smoke. Meg roared and Emmy wished she could block her ears from the sound. Demon or not, that was still her brother's voice and it still was painful to hear.

Dean threw the bucket aside. "Feel like talking now?"

Meg licked her lips, her breathing labored. "Sam's still my meat puppet. I'll make him bite off his tongue."

"No, you won't be in him long enough," Dean spat through gritted teeth. "Bobby."

Emmy watched as her uncle started reading in Latin. "Exorcisamus te, omnes in mundus spiritus omnes satanica potestas, omnes incursio …"

"See, whatever bitch-boy master plan you demons are cooking up?" Dean continued talking over the exorcism. "You're not getting Sam or Emmy. You understand me? 'Cause I'm gonna kill every one of you first."

 _Sam_ started trashing in the chair, the bonds cutting in his skin, leaving burned marks. He struggled painfully, his face red while every vain visibly pulsed.

"Dean?" Emmy sounded worried. Her brother pulled out a hand, stopping her from getting any closer. She was having doubts about who they were hurting here right now. How could they be sure that this was the demon and not Sam?

Her question was answered when the demon suddenly threw its head back, laughing maniacally.

"You really think that's what this is about? The master plan? I don't give a rat's ass about the master plan."

Bobby and Dean shared a quick glance before continuing the verses.

"Humiliares sub potente magnu dei..."

 _Sam_ appeared unaffected and unimpressed. "Oops. Doesn't seem to be working. See, I learned a few new tricks." He lowered his head and began growling in Latin. "Spiritus in mundus, un glorum suarum umitite palatum iram, domine ..."

Emmy jumped when the fire behind them flared and the floor beneath her feet shook.

Dean grabbed Emmy close to him, trying to steady themselves. "This isn't going like I pictured! What's going on, Bobby?" He yelled over the loud noise.

Bobby was equally confused but didn't stop chanting, his voice battling against Sam's.

Emmy then noticed the burn mark on Sam's forearm. She tugged at Dean's flannel shirt, pointing at the mark. "Look at his arm!"

Dean squinted his eyes, only now seeing the mark too. "It's a binding link! It's like a lock! He's locked himself inside Sam's body!"

Emmy shrieked when a stack of books tumbled down, almost hitting her but her brother successfully pushed her away.

"What the hell do we do?" Dean demanded.

"I don't know!" Bobby shot back.

 _Sam_ threw his head back and screamed, the sound vibrated through the entire room. The walls started shaking and the ceiling began to crack, breaking the protective circle. Emmy fisted Dean's shirt as she watched how everything was thrown around in the air until they suddenly dropped on the floor. She was breathing hard by the time the floor stopped shaking and silence suddenly replaced the loudness.

 _Sam'_ s eyes were black as he lowered his head. "There. That's better."

Everyone was still in utter shock, not understanding what just happened. Bobby was still holding his book when he suddenly felt himself flying across the room.

"Bobby!" Emmy struggled against Dean's hold when he too suddenly got thrown to the other side.

Dean collided against the wall, his shoulder taking the brunt. He groaned in pain as he slid to the floor, his flask of Holy water falling from his hand.

Emmy was nailed to the ground, torn between checking on Bobby and Dean. She gulped when _Sam_ broke free from his bonds. The way he ripped those ropes seemed so easy and effortlessly. She wanted to take a step back as he walked slowly over to her but she was frozen. Her skin prickled and her heart beat pulsed in her ears. She took a shuddering breath when _Sam_ ducked his head next to hers, his warm breath tickling the shell of her ear.

"Where's your angel now?" Meg whispered.

 _What the hell?_ Emmy thought.

"Get away from her, you black eyed bitch," Dean growled.

 _Sam_ ran a hand through his hair and adjusted his shirt as he casually strolled over to Dean. "You know when people want to describe the worst possible thing? They say it's like hell." He kneeled in front of Dean, fisting his left hand in his collar before clocking him hard with a right jab. "You know there's a reason for that. Hell is like, um ..." he pretended to think before hitting him again. "Well, it's like hell. Even for demons."

Emmy's eyes were struck with panic and fear. She had to do something, she looked around frantically when she caught Bobby. His eyes flickered to the fireplace and Emmy didn't understand until she caught the poker.

"It's a prison, made of bone and flesh and blood and fear." _Sam_ kept hitting Dean over and over again. Dean was groggy, his face bleeding heavily but yet he didn't strike back. "And you sent me back there." _Sam_ dug his right thumb into Dean's bullet wound, causing him to scream in torment. "All that I had to hold onto, was that I would climb out one day, and that I was going to torture you. Nice and slow. Like pulling the wings off an insect."

Emmy twisted the poker in the fire, impatiently waiting for it to heat up. Every now and then she would throw a glance at her brothers, only to look away with hurtful, teary eyes. She tossed another look at Bobby, waiting for his approval, when he gave her thumbs-up. Emmy took a deep breath as she gripped the poker tightly, mustering up enough courage to creep up behind Meg.

"But whatever I do to you, it's nothing compared to what you do to yourself, is it?" _Sam_ continued, his fists twisted around Dean's bloody shirt. "I can see it in your eyes, Dean. You're worthless. You couldn't save your Dad, and deep down ... you know that you can't save your brother. They'd have been better off without you."

Emmy quickened her steps when _Sam_ reared back to hit again but she suddenly tripped over a book lying on the floor. _Sam's_ head snapped, his black eyes piercing a hole into her skull. Her mouth suddenly felt dry as she stood still with the poker in her hands, caught red-handed. She cursed herself over and over again in her head, mentally beating herself up about betraying herself.

 _Sam's_ lips twisted in a smirk. "Didn't think so."

He flicked his wrist and Emmy closed her eyes, already bracing herself for the crash. After several seconds of not feeling anything, she slowly peeled her eyes open, confused. She was still standing on the same spot and nothing had changed except for _Sam_ who seemed equally confused.

"What the …" He repeatedly flicked his wrist, even holding his hand up but nothing happened. He looked down at his hand, shaking it as if the problem was located in the appendage.

Emmy took advantage of the distraction and grabbed his arm before pressing the hot poker into the mark. _Sam_ screamed in pain and she let go, staggering. She watched with big eyes as he kept screaming until a black smoke billowed out of him and up the chimney.

Dean pulled himself up with the help of Bobby, groaning as he grabbed his arm in sudden pain. They walked over to Sam who scrabbled and looked around in confusion. Emmy didn't drop the poker, needing to make sure this was her brother and not Meg. She carefully kneeled next to him, head tilted to the side as she searched his familiar eyes.

"Sammy?" Her voice trembled as she spoke.

Sam grabbed his head, groaning pain. "Did I miss anything?"

Emmy choked on a sob, tears freely rolling down her cheeks. Sam seemed utterly puzzled and grunted when she flung herself at him, hugging him tightly.

 **SPN**

Emmy couldn't help but stop staring at Sam. He was sitting on the couch with an icepack on his arm while Dean was on the other side of the table, groggily holding an icepack to his face. They looked like crap.

Sam caught her eye and offered her a small smile. It took a second for Emmy to register that this wasn't a demon, this was her brother. She offered him a shy smile back.

"Sorry about the burn."

Sam snorted, amused apparently. "You saved my life, Emmy. Who knows what else she would've done if you hadn't stepped in at the right time. So really it's not you who should apologize, I should thank you." His face suddenly twisted in guilt when his eyes lingered on her upper arms. "You know … the things she said or did, that wasn't me – "

"I know that, Sammy," Emmy cut him off, still holding his gaze. "I know."

Sam didn't look away either but his eyes trailed to something else. He wasn't looking at her, but _around_ her, as if he was searching for something. He shook his head, snapping himself out of it before focusing back on his ice pack.

Dean looked between his siblings, suddenly feeling as if he was missing out on something. He was about to ask what Sam really meant about the stuff Meg said or did, when Bobby walked in, concerned.

"You boys ever hear of a hunter named Steve Wandell?"

Emmy instantly recognized the name but clamped her lips shut when Dean sent her a look.

"Just heard from a friend. Wandell's dead. Murdered in his own house," Bobby continued, missing how Sam swallowed, looking down guiltily. "You wouldn't know anything about that."

Dean shook his head. "No sir, never heard of the guy."

"Good," Bobby nodded firmly, giving them a knowing look. "Keep it that way. Wandell's buddies are looking for someone or something to string up, and they're not going to slow down to listen to reason. You understand what I'm saying?"

Dean understood the message loud and clear and got up to his feet. "We better hit the road."

"Here. Take these." Bobby handed the brothers a small metal charm.

"What are they?" Sam wanted to know.

"Charms. They'll fend off possession," Bobby explained. "That demon's still out there. This'll stop it from getting back up in ya."

"That sounds vaguely dirty, but uh, thanks." Dean tucked the charm in his pocket before pointing at Emmy. "What about her?"

"She doesn't need it," Sam interjected. "I don't know what it is but she seems immune to demons' powers."

Emmy frowned. "What do you mean."

"I'm saying that Meg tried to get in your mind multiple times but she always seemed to bump against some sort of a wall," Sam told her. "The same thing happened when she tried to hurt you with the flick of her wrist but you saw what happened."

"Nothing," she mumbled thoughtfully.

Dean decided that this was a mystery they could solve another time. Maybe after he got some good night's rest and processed everything that happened the last several days. "Alright, go get your shoes and coat."

Emmy snapped out of her thoughts and blinked up at her brother. She inched away from her brothers and shuffled closer to Bobby.

Dean raised a questioning eyebrow.

Emmy fidgeted as she bit on her thumb nail. "I'm not going," she said hesitantly, avoiding her brothers' gazes.

Dean shared a quick look with Sam before asking, "What?"

Emmy kept her head downcast. "I wanna stay with uncle Bobby."

"Why?" Dean demanded.

Bobby rolled his eyes. "Boy, give her a break will ya."

Dean scoffed. "Well, I'm sorry for asking my own baby sister why the sudden change of heart!"

"Dean," Sam interrupted, giving his brother a meaningful look. "Just, just let her stay for a while." He turned to Emmy who stared up at him with that look he couldn't decipher, but he definitely didn't like to see that look in her eyes. He knew she needed time, some space from him. He understood and he didn't think it was up to him to decide what she felt was the best decision. Instead he ruffled her hair, ignoring how she briefly tensed up before walking out the door.

Dean rubbed an agitated hand down his face. He didn't like this. A couple of hours ago he came to the conclusion that his family was falling apart. They literally just reunited only to have his siblings drift away from him again. He wasn't against Emmy staying at Bobby's, he was against her being away from him. He went through hell the last twenty four hours, he was still surprised how he managed without his siblings for so long without going on a rampage or losing his frikkin' mind.

But this wasn't about him, this was about Emmy. He had to remind himself that he wasn't the only one who went through hell. He couldn't even start to imagine how it must've been like to be scooped up with a demon who was wearing your own brother's suit. Maybe Bobby was right, maybe she did need a break.

"Alright," he sighed. "C'mere," he waved his hand beckoning her over to him.

Emmy slowly walked over to her brother who kneeled to her level. "Are you mad?"

"No, I'm not mad, sweetheart." He adjusted the too large t-shirt back on her shoulder from where it had slipped off. "You take as much time as you want."

"Thanks," Emmy smiled gratefully.

"But I want you to call me twice every day, understand? Make sure your homework's done and be nice to Bobby," he told her firmly. "And for god sake stop feeding that dog peanut butter."

Emmy chuckled softly. "I promise."

"Alright then, now gimme some sugar." Emmy gave him a big kiss and hugged him tightly. "By the way, you were really brave today. I'm proud of you." He gave her a last squeeze before letting her go.

"Bobby take care of her."

"I will," the gruff man nodded.

"Oh and thanks for everything," Dean added as he walked towards the door.

"You're welcome. You boys be careful now."

"You too." Dean smiled one last time at Emmy, "Bye, cutie pie."

Emmy waved as she leaned against Bobby. "Bye."

 **SPN**

REO Speedwagon's "Back on the Road Again" played softly in the background, filling the tense silence in the car as it drove down a two-lane.

Dean steered the wheel with one hand while he let his other, injured arm rest for a while. He was enjoying the quietness but realized that they couldn't keep ignoring the big elephant in the car. He casted a sideway glance at his brother, concerned.

"You okay? Sam? Is that you in there?"

Sam frowned. "I was awake for some of it, Dean. I watched myself kill Wandell with my own two hands; I saw the light go out in his eyes."

"That must have been awful." Dean didn't really know what else to say.

"That's not my point. I hurt Emmy, too, even said some shitty things." Sam went quiet for several seconds, feeling guilty all over again. "Why didn't you just end me when you had the chance?"

Dean pressed his lips into a thin line. "It was the right move, Sam. It wasn't you."

"Yeah, this time. What about next time?" Sam demanded. All he did while Meg was controlling his mind and body was think of how he could've done all those horrible things without being possessed. What if one day he'll be past the point of no return, past saving. What if one day he'll be so far off that his brother _had_ to kill him.

"Sam," Dean let out a tired breathe, "when Dad told me ... that I might have to kill you, it was only if I couldn't save you. Now, if it's the last thing I do I'm gonna save you."

Sam looked at his brother, pondering over his words. He won't lie, sometimes he wondered if he was even worth to be saved.

"There's something else I need to tell you." Sam cleared his throat, searching for the right way to say this. "When Meg was possessing me, I saw the world through her eyes. I saw things I normally don't."

"Like what?" Dean asked intrigued.

"Like Emmy's aura."

Dean raised a questioning eyebrow. "Her what?"

"At least I think it was her aura. It looked like waves of light surrounding her. It was kinda beautiful."

"Huh," Dean huffed. "You seen it with other people?"

"No," Sam shook his head. "That's the thing. She was the only one."

"You think that's what Dad meant with 'her soul shining through'?"

"I guess," Sam shrugged. "We really should fix that necklace or find something else because Dad was right about another thing. It attracts supernatural beings. All Meg ever did was try to grasp the light like it was some drug. She would stare at it, attempting to pull it to her with her powers but something, I don't know what, but something kept pushing her back."

"Well that explains those creepy stares you've been giving Emmy," Dean clarified. "But her necklace is broken so how do you explain Emmy being able to fend the demon off?"

"I don't think it's Emmy's doing," Sam said thoughtfully. "Meg mentioned this angel."

"An angel," Dean deadpanned.

Sam rubbed his forehead. "Yeah, like a guardian angel, I don't remember his name though."

"An angel," Dean repeated. "Wait, are you still possessed? Cristo?"

Cue bitch face number twenty one. "Dean, I'm not joking alright. It seemed like she knew all about it."

"Then why didn't you dig a little deeper?"

Sam rolled his eyes. "She didn't really invite me in her mind with open arms, Dean."

"Whatever," Dean dismissed. "Look, demons lie, okay. For all we know, this was all just part of her big scheme."

"I still think we should at least stay alert, keep our eyes extra open you know."

Dean nodded without another word. He felt like someone just buried him under a load of information and it was too much for his brain to process all of it. He still had trouble believing that his brother was back and that Meg was sent back to hell. All the other stuff he could deal with later.

After a pause he suddenly laughed softly.

Sam gave him a weird look. "What?"

"Nothing," Dean grinned.

"Dean, what?" Sam pressed.

"Dude, you like, full-on had a girl inside you for like a whole week." Dean couldn't contain his laughter any longer. "That's pretty naughty."

Sam's frown cracked as he snorted. Leave it to Dean to make an inappropriate comment like that in the wrong place, at the wrong time.

 ** _A/N:_** **Please don't shoot me! I am so sorry about the terrible long wait. This chapter should've been up two weeks ago but some personal stuff got in the way, so again I apologize for the delay.**

 **Anyway, let's get back to the story. I know this chapter is a little different from the original episode, I hope you guys don't mind. Let me know what you liked or didn't like. Also if you happen to have a question, request or feedback, don't be afraid to send me a pm or review.**

 **Don't forget to review/follow/favorite, if you already did thank you so much!**

 **Ps: check my tumblr if you want:** ** _mayremmy_** **;)**


	15. Tall Tales

**Diclaimer: I don't own Supernatural, I only own my OC Mary-Elisabeth Winchester.**

Emmy lifted herself up onto the hood of a totaled, rusty car and sighed.

Bobby, who was currently lying under the car, grunted as he carried out minor body and trim repairs. The space he got to move was restricted and the flashlight between his teeth didn't provide him much light either.

Emmy sighed again.

Rolling away, the gruff old man wiped his hands on a dirty rag. He ran the back of his hand over his sweat-covered forehead, leaving an oil stain on the skin. He walked over to his toolbox and searched for the right crosshead screwdriver. Rumsfeld circled around his legs and Bobby shooed him away before getting back to the car where he found Emmy swinging her legs back and forth. He cocked a single eyebrow, as if asking what she wanted. She looked him straight in the eye … and sighed.

Bobby rolled his eyes and decided to bite. "What do you want?"

Emmy took a deep breath before exhaling loudly. "I'm bored."

"You finished your chores?"

"Yep," she nodded.

"Your homework?"

"Yep," she replied again.

"Did you call your brother yet?"

She chewed on her bottom lip. "It's on my to-do list."

Bobby adjusted his hat as he rummaged through another toolbox, still looking for the right screwdriver. "Darlin', you can't keep avoiding their calls. Those knuckleheads are worried 'bout you, the least you can do is give them some peace of mind."

Emmy looked down at her lap, pulling at the lint balls on her leggings. "I know, I just don't feel like talking to them. I still got a lot of things to think about and I just wish they would give me some time to make sense of everything."

Bobby turned around to face her, wearing a questioning look. "Like what? You mean your brother being possessed? That was like a week ago, Emmy. I thought I already explained to you that Sam had no part in this, he had no control over his actions and speech –"

"It's not just the possession," Emmy cut him off. "It's more."

Putting the tools away for a minute, Bobby leaned against the car with arms crossed over his chest. "Well, enlighten me then."

Emmy looked up at her surrogate uncle with uncertain eyes. "I just feel like things are not adding up _,_ like there's something they're not telling me."

"You mean like secrets?"

"Yeah, secrets," she repeated quietly. "And not just one but a bunch of them."

"What makes you think that, huh?" Bobby wanted to know.

Emmy shrugged. "That's the thing, I don't have like specific proof, just assumptions. First there was Dean acting weird after Dad died, then drunk Sammy saying stuff I still don't understand. Not to mention Meg who told me some pretty wacky things, too. And I just know that there is more that I don't know, but they're so good at hiding it."

Bobby cleared his throat. "Well, I know you're a smart girl, so I don't think I need to tell you that your brothers are probably not giving everything away, but not because they want to hurt you."

"Let me guess, to protect me?" Emmy snorted. "They're starting to sound like Dad. Same song, different chorus."

"Your brothers know what they're doing, hon." Bobby slung a comforting arm around her small shoulders. "I wouldn't question their decisions but maybe you should try talking about it."

"Like I haven't tried that before, their lips are freakin' sealed," Emmy scoffed. "It's just not fair, you know? All my life they kept me in the dark and I'm still waiting for the moment they'll realize that keeping secrets never ends well. And they might use stupid excuses about me being too young or to protect me, but we all know how ridiculous that sounds."

Bobby sighed. "Well, what do you want me to do?"

"Nothing." Emmy slid off the car, landing on her red sneakers. " _I_ will take care of this."

"Yeah? And what's that supposed to mean?"

"It means I'll do my own research, starting with myself," Emmy explained.

Bobby frowned. "Yourself?"

"Yeah, like why my soul is so pure and why it attracts the supernatural. Or how my blood seemed to be appetizing to some creatures." Emmy cringed as she thought of those vampires. "Meg also said something about me _glowing_ , not sure in what sense she meant that but that's what I'm gonna find out."

Bobby ran a hand over his beard. "Not sure if that's a good idea, darlin'. Your brothers and I are already onto it, leave this to us."

"Yeah, right! So you can keep everything to yourself again. Not gonna happen."

"Maybe your brothers are keeping things secret cuz they don't wanna see you getting' hurt, you ever thought about that?" Bobby said.

Emmy went quiet for several seconds. "I'd rather they hurt me with the truth than protect me with lies."

Bobby didn't know what kinda stuff her brothers were hiding from her, but he was sure that those idjits had a valuable reason. It was so natural to want to shield the ten year old from every danger, so tempting to lock her up somewhere safe where no one could get to her. Bobby understood that the Winchester men made some rash decisions when it came to Emmy, like keeping the family business a secret. They were just scared, scared of losing the one good thing in their life. But they never thought of the consequences, the Winchesters never thought in long-terms. They couldn't possibly have assumed that Emmy would never want to know more. She was bound to discover stuff they didn't want, secrets wouldn't be secrets if they never got revealed. And Bobby wished Sam and Dean would come out with it instead of letting Emmy find out herself.

Bobby was brought out of his reveries when something buzzed in his pocket. Fetching the cell phone, his lips twitched when Dean's name appeared on the screen. Emmy noticed the caller-id and came up with a quick excuse about forgetting to turn off the stove before trying to walk away. Bobby was faster though and grabbed her around the waist, trapping her.

"Yello," he answered. "I'm good, how're you guys doin'? Oh she's fine. Yeah, why don't you ask her yourself? Sure, she's right here."

Emmy would've given Sam a run for his money with the bitchface she pulled. She grabbed the phone from Bobby's hand, none too gently, and pressed it against her ear. Bobby released her and decided to busy himself with some other car a couple of yards away to give her some space.

"Hey," she said softly as she turned away from her uncle.

" _Hey to you, too,"_ was Dean's reply. He didn't sound angry but he wasn't cheery either. He was somewhere in between, more like he was relieved to finally be able to talk to her after a week, and disappointed that it took this long to get her through on phone. " _I was almost expecting to hear Bobby telling me you couldn't reach the phone cuz you had to water some plants."_

Okay, so that was a lame excuse, Emmy realized. Her brothers called almost two times a day and after several times she ran out of excuses to avoid a conversation.

"Yeah, sorry about that." Emmy cleared her throat. "So, uh, how're you guys doing?"

" _We're good. My car's all screwed to hell, Sam's bitching about his computer being frozen on – nevermind, and this case is toying with our heads, but other than that, we're good."_

"Oh, well that sounds … _not_ good."

" _Yeah understatement of the year."_ Emmy could practically see him rolling his eyes. " _So, how about you, huh. What's up?"_

Emmy absently trailed her fingers through the black Rottweiler's fur. "Uh, not much. Bobby helped me repaint my room, it's almost finished. Last night we went to see a movie at the drive-in with Rumsfeld. Also Jo and Ellen paid a little visit three days ago, Jo took me to the lake for a swim."

" _Sounds like you had a lot of fun. So,"_ Dean cleared his throat, " _when do you think you're coming back?"_

The ten year old dreaded the question but knew she could no longer avoid it. "I don't know."

" _Cause if you wanna go now I can be there by tonight."_

"No, you don't have to that. I can wait a little longer until you guys solved the case or something." Emmy hoped she didn't sound too obvious because the truth was that she was looking forward to stay a little bit longer. She wanted the use the time she had without her brothers breathing down her neck to do some research.

" _Oh, okay,"_ Dean sounded disgruntled. " _Whatever you want, sweetheart."_

"Thanks." Emmy wished her brother wouldn't take this the wrong way but there was no turning back now. "Uh Dean, is Sammy there?"

" _Yeah he is. Why, you wanna talk to him?"_

Emmy twirled her finger around a strand of hair, a nervous habit of hers. "I just have a little question, that's all."

" _I'll pass you through. Bye, sweetheart."_

Emmy swallowed hard. "Bye, Dean."

There was static sound before Sam's voice sounded through the speaker. " _Hey honey, everything okay?"_

"Hey, Sammy," Emmy greeted. "Yes, everything's okay. How are you holding up after what happened with Meg?"

 _"_ _I'm just fine, Emmy. Told you not to worry about me._ "

Emmy could practically hear him smile and it put her mind at ease. "I'm sorry for being so harsh with you, I didn't mean to be rude I just …"

" _It's okay, honey, really. You take as much time as you want, no pressure."_

"I just hope Dean's not gonna take this the wrong way," Emmy added with nervousness lacing her voice. "I mean wanna come back but there's still some stuff I need to figure out, you know?"

" _I got you, Emmy. And don't worry about Dean, he'll come around. You know how he is, he gets all irritable when his cutie pie isn't around,"_ Sam chuckled.

Emmy grinned, Sam never failed at lifting up her spirits. "Thanks, Sammy."

" _So Dean said you wanted to ask something?"_

"Oh, yeah right, almost forgot! I was just wondering if you remember much from the time Meg, you know, _possessed_ you."

Sam took a long intake of breath, a little thrown off guard. " _Uh, some bits and pieces, yeah. Why you asking?"_

"Well, I just remembered something Meg said, something about me _glowing_. I have no idea what she meant with that so I thought maybe you'd know since you had access to her mind and all." The line was quiet for a second and Emmy briefly thought there was no reception. "Sammy?"

" _Uh, yeah I'm still here, I was just thinking."_

"So do you know anything?" Emmy asked again, hoping he'd help her answer some of her questions.

" _No, not really. It was all really vague,"_ he eventually answered.

"You sure?" Emmy could've sworn he sounded like he was holding something back.

" _Yeah, I am. Listen, just forget about whatever Meg told you. She's a demon, demons lie all the time."_

 _And apparently so do you_ , Emmy thought but bit her tongue. How stupid did they really think she was?

"Okay," she said.

" _Okay?"_

"Yeah, okay," Emmy repeated indifferently.

" _Okay … well is there anything else you wanna talk about?"_

 _"_ No, that's all. I gotta go now, bye Sammy." Emmy didn't wait for his reply before hanging up on the phone. "Stupid brothers and their stupid secrets," she mumbled under her breath. She could bite her tongue while they hid behind their stories, but they shouldn't take her for a fool.

 **SPN**

Emmy's desk was littered with multiple books of different lengths and genres – mythology, religion, spirituality, history, science, journals, encyclopedias and even dictionaries. Anything that could provide her some information about herself. She needed more clarity to comprehend what was going on.

"Not now, Rummy," she mumbled distractedly as the dog nudged its snout against her thigh. Emmy was too enthralled in a chapter about _'Human souls and auras'._ De book focused on the different views explaining the theory about souls.

Some of them talked about a spiritual particle present within any living entity. The soul is eternal, it has no birth and it never dies. Another theory stated that the soul is the 'person within the body', or 'the ghost in the machine'. At the time of death the soul leaves the body and is transferred to the womb of its next mother's womb according to it's accumulated 'karma'. Emmy wasn't totally convinced with that theory but still kept the information in the back of her mind.

The next chapter talked about how although we cannot actually see the soul, we can see its symptoms. We cannot _see_ electricity but when we see an illuminated light-globe we can see the symptom of the presence of electricity. Similarly when we see consciousness we see the symptom of the soul. This reminded Emmy of Meg and Maggie, how they both said she was _glowing._

According to another theory, an aura is a field of subtle, luminous radiation surrounding a person or object like the halo or aureola in religious art. The depiction of such an aura often connotes a person of particular power or holiness. It is said that all objects and all living things manifest such an aura. Often it is held to be perceptible, whether spontaneously or with practice: such perception is at times linked with the third eye of Indian spirituality. It has also been described as a map of the thoughts and feelings surrounding a person –

Emmy stopped reading when a sudden breeze turned her pages and made her notes fly.

"You need to tell your brothers to back off."

Emmy jumped out of her chair when a man appeared in front of her, he seemed to have come out of nowhere. Her eyes widened in surprise and her lips opened to say or yell something when the man pressed his fingers to her forehead. A tingling feeling washed over her and hidden memories came back flooding in her mind.

"Gabriel? What are you doing here?" Emmy exclaimed, confused. She looked at him, really looked at him and noticed something strange. "And why are you dressed as a janitor?"

The archangel looked down at his costume. "Oh, this is just a part of my method acting."

"O-kay …?" Emmy frowned, but shook her head to clear her mind. "You mentioned my brothers?"

"Those eggheaded Winchesters," he muttered angrily under his breath as he paced the room.

"Uh, Winchester standing right here," Emmy pointed out, trying not to get offended.

Gabriel stopped long enough to look at her. "Well, not really, you're not exactly a Win – _anyway,_ that's a story for another time."

"What story?" Emmy wondered.

"Not the point, baby cakes," Gabriel dismissed. "You need to call your brothers and tell them to leave town."

Emmy raised her eyebrows. "Leave town? Why?"

"Because they're ruining my master plan."

"Which is …" Emmy pressed as she studied his appearance.

"None of your business," he snapped.

Emmy flinched at his tone.

"I'm sorry, muffin, don't take it personal. I'm just really on edge." Gabriel sighed, running a hand through his sleek hair.

"You can't possibly expect me to just call my brothers and order them to quit their case and come back," Emmy argued.

"Why not?" Gabriel questioned, not getting what the problem could be. "They're dwelling on forbidden territory and they need to get the hell out of dodge before I kick them out myself. And it won't be pretty."

"Why don't you tell them to go away?" Emmy shot back.

"Oh, I tried, but your stubborn brothers won't catch a hint!" Gabriel threw his hands in the air and got back to pacing.

Emmy took a cautious step back, not used to seeing the angel all worked up. "You seem … unhappy."

"Damn right I am! Never heard of the saying 'never piss off an angel'?"

"Pretty sure you just made that up," Emmy commented offhandedly. "Anyway, you still haven't told me what it is that my brothers are doing to ruffle your feathers, no pun intended."

"You're funny," he deadpanned. "And again, what my hobbies are, is none of your business, just tell your brothers to back off."

"Oh so you want me to contact my brothers and tell them to drop whatever they're doing because some _angel_ told me?" Emmy snorted. "Yeah, sounds honest-to-God to me."

"Don't involve my father into this," was Gabriel's poor come-back.

Emmy rolled her eyes. "Fine, I'll do it. But I won't guarantee anything, my brothers tend to not listen to me. And you have to admit, what you're asking sounds kinda ridiculous."

Gabriel waved his hand. "Yeah, yeah, whatever floats your boat. Anyway, name your price."

Emmy narrowed her eyes thoughtfully, this could be her chance. "How about some answers?"

Gabriel leveled her with the same set of squinted eyes. "What did I say about sticking your nose where it doesn't belong? You play with fire, Mary-Elisabeth, and you'll get burned."

"How is this playing with fire?" she proclaimed with disbelief. "I'm just trying to solve all these riddles!"

The angel looked upward, letting out an exasperated sigh before dropping his head. "Listen to me." Gabriel closed the distance between them and crouched to hold her face between his hands. "My own father assigned me to protect you. My sole purpose is to make sure you stay out of harm's way and since you were born, all I ever did is look out for you. Everything happening to you is for a reason, it's all part of God's plan. If you're wondering why your brothers are keeping you in the dark, remember that even that is God's will. Stop thinking of it as secrets, these are pieces of information that could bring down the entire existence of every creature He brought into being. You really want to risk that?"

Emmy blinked, blue eyes shifting away from his hazel orbs. "But how come _I_ am the only one who's not allowed to know?"

Gabriel's eyes filled with sorrow. "Because if you knew about your destiny, you'll do anything to prevent it from happening. And we can't take that chance, sweetie, the world relies on you."

"I don't understand," she whispered, suddenly feeling like all he was saying was too much to take in.

"Of course you don't," he chuckled fondly, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear, "and you're not supposed to understand, not for another couple years."

"Is it true? Am I really risking people's lives by simply wanting to know more about myself, or are you just saying that to stop me?"

Gabriel inched closer, looking right in her eyes. "Honesty is of God, and dishonesty of the devil. Don't mistake me for my fallen brother, Mary-Elisabeth."

Emmy gulped. "Got it." She was so used to seeing the playful side of the archangel, sometimes she forgot how celestial and powerful being he was.

"Good," he nodded before standing back up and with a flick of his wrist, all the books and notes on her desk suddenly vanished.

Emmy gasped. "You can't do that!"

"Actually, I can and I just did. Deal with it, sugar pie."

"You suck for an angel," Emmy scowled with a pout.

Gabriel laughed good-heartedly, patting her head. "Anyway, I'll give you some time to think of your end of the bargain. Meanwhile, get your brothers to vamoose."

"Well unlike you, I'm not an angel, I can't do miracles. So keep that in mind," Emmy reminded him.

"Shouldn't be too hard, just sabotage their work or something," Gabriel suggested.

Emmy scoffed. "How am I supposed to do that when they're literally thirteen hours away from here!"

"You go where they are," he stated as if it were that simple.

"How?" she demanded.

" _Emmy!_ " Bobby called out from downstairs. " _Pack your bags, we're leaving!"_

"What?!" Emmy shouted.

" _Your brothers called, they need backup! Now hurry it up!"_

Gabriel winked, tipping an imaginary hat. "See ya, honey bun. Oh and keep our little deal on the down low."

Emmy's hair waved around her face as the angel disappeared. She stared at the empty space, still speechless, when Bobby pulled her out of her reveries.

" _Emmy, get your little 'hind in gear!"_

Letting out an aggravated sigh, the ten year old jumped to action. "Great. Just _frikkin'_ great."

 **SPN**

The radio in the motel room, where Sam and Dean were currently residing, was playing Joe Walsh, filling the tense silence. The oldest Winchester was sitting up on the bed, eating chili chees fries from a disposable plate. Across the room, the middle Winchester was seated on the couch, surrounded by books and notes. Sam rubbed his face tiredly, throwing an annoyed look at his brother.

"Dude. You mind not eating those on _my_ bed?"

Dean looked up from flicking through a magazine. "No, I don't mind." To show how he really didn't give a rat's ass, he simply ate another fry and wiped his greasy hands on the closest thing he could reach, which was the pillow. "How's research going?"

Sam clenched his jaw, barely containing his irritation. "You know how it's going? Slow. You know how it would go a heck of a lot faster? If I had my computer."

"Hmm," Dean nodded uninterestedly, getting back to reading his magazine.

Sam's nostrils flared. "Can you turn that down please?"

"Yeah, absolutely." Dean reached over to the radio, only to turn the music louder.

Sam was fuming. "You know what? Maybe, uh, maybe you should just go somewhere for a while."

Dean shuts off the radio and snapped his head up. "Hey, I'd love to. That's a great idea," he smiled sarcastically. "Unfortunately, my car's all screwed to hell."

 _Here we go again,_ Sam thought with a roll of his eyes. "Dean, I told you, I have nothing to do with – "

He was cut off by a loud knock on the door. Sam stood up, his back and shoulders were strained and his hand trailed to check if his gun was still tucked in his waistband. Looking through the peephole, his guard visibly fell and he answered the door.

"Hey, Sammy!" Emmy was the first one to greet him.

"Hey, honey," Sam smiled back. He wasn't sure how to approach her, remembering that they didn't left on good terms.

Emmy noticed his hesitance and decided to take the first step. She put her hands up and launched herself onto her giant brother who easily caught her. Sam hugged her back, dropping a hard kiss on her cheek.

"Missed you," he whispered in her ear.

"I bet you did," she grinned, messing up his hair.

"Hey, watch it!" Sam warned as he playfully twisted her upside down in his arms causing her to shriek with laughter. "Bobby," he nodded, patting the grumpy old man's shoulder.

Bobby entered, closing the door behind him. "Boys."

Dean approached, giving the man a one-armed hug. "Hey, Bobby."

"It's good to see you again so soon," Bobby half-smiled.

"Yeah, uh, thanks for coming," Sam said.

"Uh, hello _oo?"_ Emmy called out, still dangling upside down. _"_ I'm still here!"

"I already thought something was missing," Dean smirked. "C'mere, you little brat."

Sam released her, causing her to jump in Dean's awaiting arms. He briefly spun her in a circle as he hugged her back.

"I hope you behaved yourself at Bobby's," Dean said as he put her back to the floor.

Emmy flashed her dazzling smile. "I was an angel, right uncle Bobby?"

"Oh, absolutely," he grumbled.

"Well, I'm glad you're back," Dean chuckled as he fondly ran a hand through her soft hair, placing a gentle kiss on her temple.

Bobby pulled a chair back, taking a seat at the table. "So um, what didn't you want to talk to me on the phone about?"

"It's this job we're working," Sam started, nervously scratching the nape of his neck. "We weren't sure you'd believe us."

Taking off his hat, Bobby let out a throaty chuckle. "Well, I can believe a lot."

Sam shared a quick glance with his brother. "Yeah, no, no, it's just, we've never seen anything like it."

"Not even close," Dean agreed as he joined the rest at the table, pulling Emmy on his lap.

"And we thought we could use some fresh eyes," Sam added.

"Well, why don't you begin at the beginning?" Bobby suggested, his eyes curiously flicking between the brothers.

Emmy had to admit that she was curious, too. She couldn't imagine what Gabriel was up to, but by the looks of it, it got her brothers stir-crazy.

"Yeah, um, all right." Sam cleared his throat and proceeded to tell the story. "So, it all started when we caught wind of an obit. See, a professor took a nosedive from a fourth story window, only there's a campus legend that the building's haunted. So we pretexted as reporters from the local paper." Sam leaned forward on his forearms, continuing the tale. "Story goes that thirty years ago, this girl was having an affair with some professor. He broke it off, she jumped out the window and killed herself. They say she jumped from room six-six-nine."

"Six-six-nine? Like the urban legend?" Emmy questioned.

"Exactly," Dean nodded. "Sounds like a total bunch of crap if you ask me."

Sam snorted incredulously. "How would you know? You were too busy drinking purple nurples with Starla."

"Whoa, that's not true," Dean exclaimed.

"No?" Sam raised his eyebrows. "So you never drank a purple nurple?"

"Yeah, maybe that," Dean admitted sheepishly, "but her name wasn't Starla."

Sam crossed his arms over his chest. "Then what was it?"

Dean pretended to think for a second but soon realized he had no idea. "I don't know. But she was a classy chick. She was a grad student, anthropology and folklore. We were talking about local ghost stories."

Dean took it upon himself to tell the correct version of what had happened. Emmy had to laugh at how Dean was projected as devilish handsome while Sam was the one who literally talked gibberish.

"Right! And that's how it really happened," Sam scoffed. "I don't sound like that, Dean!"

Dean shrugged. "That's what you sound like to me."

Emmy couldn't help but narrow her eyes at the sight of her brothers quibbling. This was so not them. She exchanged a quick look with her surrogate uncle and realized she wasn't the only one thinking it.

"Okay. What's going on with you two?" Emmy demanded, twisting around in Dean's arms.

"Nothing, it's nothing," Sam pressed.

Bobby rolled his eyes. "No, come on. You're bickering like an old married couple."

"No, see married couples can get divorced," Dean spoke up. "Me and him, we're like, uh, Siamese twins."

Sam ran his hands though his hair in frustration. "It's conjoined twins!"

Dean lifted his hand, pointing at his brother. "See what I mean?"

"Look," Sam sighed tiredly, "we've just been on the road for too long. Tight quarters, all that. Don't worry about it."

Several seconds went by before Bobby spoke, "Okay."

"So anyway. We figured it might be a haunting, so we went to check out the scene of the crime," Sam picked up where they had left off and continued the story. "Dean and I posed as electricians to get into the professor's office. We bumped into the janitor, he's the one who found the professor after he jumped from the window."

"Wait," Emmy interrupted, "did you just say ' _janitor'_?"

"Yeah, why?" Sam asked.

"Oh, nothing, just thought I heard you say something else," she brushed off, trying not to sound suspicious. What kinda game was Gabriel playing? "So, was the professor alone in his office?" she asked, getting back to the story.

"No, the janitor said he caught him with a young lady. He told the cops about her but they never found her," Sam said. "He also implied that the professor brought a lot girls up there if you catch my drift."

"The building also only had four stories," Dean pointed out. "So there couldn't be a room six-six-nine."

"Where there any traces of EMF?" Bobby questioned.

"Nope," Dean shook his head.

"But did you dig up anything about the building?" Bobby asked next. "Or on the suicidal co-ed?"

Sam let out a long breath. "No. History's clean."

"Then it's not a haunting," Bobby confirmed, still equally confused about the weird case.

"Maybe not," Dean agreed. "Tell you the truth, we're not really sure."

"What do you mean?" Bobby wanted to know.

"Well ... it's weird," Sam sounded hesitant.

Emmy looked between her brothers questionably. "What's weird?"

"This next part, we uh, we didn't see it happen ourselves exactly, but it's pretty friggin weird. Even for us," Dean said. He proceeded to tell about Curtis, a student who claimed he was abducted by aliens who probed him … repeatedly.

Bobby's eyebrows were raised. "Aliens?"

Dean nodded. "Yeah."

"Aliens are real?" Emmy wondered out loud.

"Apparently," Dean sounded skeptically.

Bobby ran a hand down his rugged face. Just when he thought this couldn't get any weirder, aliens happen. "Look, even if they are real, they're sure as hell not coming to earth and swiping people."

"Hey, believe me. We know," Dean pointed out.

Bobby dropped his head in his hands, trying to make sense of everything he just heard. This was by far the strangest hunt ever. "My whole life I've never found evidence of an honest-to-God abduction. It's all just cranks and pranks."

"Yeah, that's what we thought," Sam conceded.

"And that's not the worse, other than making him their bitch, they also made him slow dance," Dean laughed.

Bobby seemed unfazed. "You guys are exaggerating again, huh?"

"No," Sam chuckled.

"Then this frat boy's just nuts!" Bobby concluded.

"Then how do you explain the perfectly round scorch mark in the ground?" Dean confronted.

"We don't know that, it could be made by some kind of jet engine," Sam interjected.

"You mean some saucer-shaped jet engine?" Dean shot back dubiously.

"What else could it be?" Sam urged. "Anyway, the timing alone, there's got to be some kind of connection."

"You mean between the angry spirit and the sexed-Up E.T.? What could the connection possibly be?" Bobby inquired.

"Both our victims, the frat guy and the professor are dicks," Dean stated.

"Yeah, Curtis was the pledge master. Some students say he put the others through hell this semester and got off on it," Sam elaborated.

"You found anything that could be the cause of all this?" Emmy asked.

Sam shot Dean a murderous look. "I would but _someone_ took my computer."

"Why would I take your computer?" Dean declared.

"Because no one else could have, Dean!" Sam shouted angrily. "We keep the door locked. We never let any maids in."

"Looks like you lost it, Poindexter," Dean shot back.

Sam sneered. "Dude, you know something? I put up with a lot from you."

"What are you talking about? I'm a joy to be around," Dean ridiculed. His arms tightened around Emmy's waist. "Right, sweetheart?"

"Uh, keep me out of this, please," Emmy warned them.

"Whoa, both of you, shut your traps," Bobby commanded. "Did you take his computer?"

Dean narrowed his eyes. "Serves him right after screwing with my baby, but, no."

"I didn't touch the Impala, Dean!" Sam burst out. "And I didn't lose my computer. 'Cause I don't lose things."

"Oh, that's right, yeah, 'cause he's Mr. Perfect," Dean remarked sarcastically.

"Okay, okay," Bobby came in between, trying to act as the referee. "Why don't you just tell me what happened next?"

"There was one more victim," Sam started. "We, we didn't see this one ourselves, either. We kind of put it together from the evidence. But this guy, he was, uh, he was a research scientist. Animal testing."

"Yeah, you know, a dick," Dean specified. "Which fits the pattern."

"Cops didn't release the cause of death 'cause they had no clue what the cause was. So, we checked it ourselves." Sam cringed as the image of the victim's body appeared in front of him. He shook his head, trying to get rid of the visual thought. "The body was mutilated and get this, we found a belly scale."

"From what?" Emmy asked dreadfully.

"Uh... An alligator?"

Emmy watched Sam, waiting for the punch line. "You have got to be kidding me. An alligator in the sewer?"

"It's a classic urban legend, Emmy. A kid flushes a baby gator down the toilet, and it grows huge in the tunnels," Sam explained.

"But no one's ever really found one!" Dean protested. "I mean, they're not real."

"Well, neither's alien abduction," Sam reminded him, "but something chomped on this guy."

"That's why we called you, Bobby. We thought maybe you'd run into something like this before."

Bobby snickered. "Oh, I'm sure I have. Just your typical haunted campus, alien abduction, alligator-in-the-sewer gig. Yeah, it's simple."

"Uh, I need to go to the bathroom." Emmy jumped off Dean's lap, making a beeline to the bathroom door. She leaned her back against the door, closing her eyes as she listened to the muffled voices of her brothers. They were arguing again, Sam was still adamant that Dean took his laptop, while Dean thought Sam let the air out of the Impala's tires. Between the constant fighting and the weird cases, Emmy had no idea what the angel was up to.

 _Gabriel?_ She called mentally, not sure how this worked. _Gabriel,_ she thought again. "Gabriel?" she whispered.

"You called?"

Emmy jumped, startled. She turned around to find the angel leaning against the tiled wall, picking at his nails.

"Yes, I called." Emmy put her hands on her slim hips. "What in the world do you think you're doing?" she whisper shouted.

"No need to whisper, babycakes. I soundproofed this bathroom."

"Good. What in the world do you think you're doing!" she repeated, no longer containing her frustration.

Gabriel continued picking at his nails in disinterest. "Don't know what you're talking about."

"Like you don't know," Emmy shot back. "Are you the one killing these people?"

"Well, they had it coming. They were assholes," the angel justified.

Emmy was muddled, not understanding why and angel of the lord would do such horrible things. "You're an angel, aren't you supposed to be kind and protect the human race?"

Gabriel snorted. "Life as an angel isn't all it's cracked up to be, honeycomb. I'm allowed to have fun sometimes."

Emmy made a sound of utter disgust and shock. "By _killing_ people? That's your definition of having fun?"

"Hey, don't judge me."

"And what's with all the urban legends? The haunted building, the alien abduction and the alligator in the sewer."

Gabriel held his stomach, laughing.

"Hey! It's not funny!" Emmy berated.

The angel pretended to wipe away a tear. "It is to me."

"You do realize that my brothers and uncle are all over this. They're experts in solving weird cases, and your escapades fit the bill," Emmy warned him.

Gabriel lowered himself to her level and playfully pinched her chin. "That's why I need you to get them to take a hike out of here."

"Gabriel, you don't understand how the Winchesters work. They don't give up that easily, they're hell-bent on solving this and catch the monster, which in this case, is you."

Gabriel chuckled. "Oh, please I know the Winchesters like the back of my wings. I just need something to throw them off the trail so they can let me practice my thing in peace."

Emmy's eyes widened. "Wait, you're the cause of their fights?"

"Well, aren't you a smart one," he grinned, tweaking her freckled nose.

"Stop it." Emmy swatted his hand away. "Look, you want my brothers out of your hair, then play along."

"How is that helping me?"

"You let them catch you and case is solved," Emmy proposed.

Gabriel thought about it for a minute. "Yeah, one problem. I'm an angel, your brothers can't destroy my fine package."

"Who said anything about killing an angel. What you're doing now doesn't really fit the description of an angel, you're more like a … "

"A trickster," Gabriel said, filling the blanks. "You're right, I do profile myself as the most deceptive angel in the garrison. One time, I tricked my brother and told him that our Father banished our rights to propagate with humans, he just grabbed the first red-haired, long legged, with the biggest round –" The angel stopped himself when he reminded himself that he was talking to a ten year old. "Yeah, I don't know why I'm telling you this, but please go on."

"Right." The more Emmy listened to him, the more she wondered if he was even an angel. "As I was saying, you can be a trickster. My brothers will hunt you down, eliminate you, and the case is closed."

"Okay, sounds good to me. But you gotta promise they'll leave me be after that."

Emmy rolled her eyes. "Just play your part and we'll be out of this town in no time."

"Wait," Gabriel called out, "You already thought about your end of the bargain?"

"No, not yet," she answered eventually after several seconds. "Why don't you just tell me everything you know about tricksters."

 **SPN**

When Emmy emerged from the bathroom, she found her brothers still disputing, causing a scene. She tossed an annoyed look at Bobby who pulled his shoulders up as if to say _'whatcha gonna do about it'._

"They're still fighting?" Emmy couldn't believe this.

Bobby groaned in irritation. "I tried to break it up but as you can see, that didn't really work well."

Emmy sighed. "What do you think we got on our hands?"

"Ain't ever seen anything like this before. This case is weirder than weird."

"What about a trickster?" Emmy suggested carefully.

Bobby looked up at her, shooting her an inquisitive look. "What do you know about tricksters?"

"Uh, … I once read about it," she quickly made up, trying not to blow her own plan. "These things create chaos and mischief, they got Sammy and Dean so turned around and at each other's throats, they can't even think straight." Emmy hoped Gabriel had given her the right information, because she literally had no idea what she was talking about.

Bobby went silent, appearing to think it over. "It would make a lotta sense," he muttered as he watched Sam and Dean still quarreling.

"So, what do you think?" Emmy pressed, trying not to sound too pushy.

"Well, I ain't got any other explanation."

"Great! Then, let's deliver the news." The faster they solved this case, the faster they could leave. Emmy took a deep breath and approached Sam and Dean. "Okay, both of you stop it!" She moved to stand between her brothers, pushing her hands on their chests to keep them apart. "Sammy, first off, Dean didn't steal your computer."

"But I – "

"Shh!" Emmy held up her hand, silencing him. "And Dean, Sammy didn't touch the Impala."

"Then who did it?" Dean wanted to know.

"If you two bothered to pull your heads outta your asses, it all would have been pretty clear," Bobby mentioned.

Dean cocked a questioning eyebrow. "What?"

"What you're dealing with," Emmy clarified.

"Uh …" Sam's face scrunched up in thought.

Dean scratched his stubble in frustration. "I got nothing."

"Me neither," Sam admitted.

"It's a trickster," both Emmy and Bobby revealed.

Dean snapped his fingers. "That's what I thought."

Sam scoffed. "What?! No, you didn't."

"Now that you mention it, Emmy," Bobby started, "your brothers were the biggest clue."

Sam looked confused. "What do you mean?"

"It knows you're onto him, and it's been playing you like fiddles," Emmy asserted.

"The laptop," Sam mumbled.

Dean nodded in realization. "The tires."

"Wait," Sam squinted his hazel eyes at Emmy, "you're the one who came up with this theory?"

Emmy fidgeted nervously. "Yeah, why?"

"How do you know about tricksters?"

Emmy made a sound of being offended. "Uh, it's called reading a book."

Dean crossed his arms in challenge. "What book?"

Shoot. Emmy was never really good at lying and knew that her brothers could see right through her. The only thing she could do was avoid the question. "I don't remember and it really doesn't matter, I mean lives are at stake. Just be glad I remembered the chapter about the tricksters."

Dean seemed unconvinced. "So, what is it? A spirit, demon, what? "

Emmy was glad Gabriel told her about this, she had the perfect answer. "Well, more like demigods, really. There's Loki in Scandinavia. There's Anansi in West Africa. Dozens of them. They're immortal, and they can create things out of thin air."

Both Sam and Dean seemed impressed and Emmy felt a tinge of pride washing over her.

Bobby made further comment. "Things as real as you and me. Make them vanish just as quick."

Dean frowned, puzzled. "You mean like an angry spirit or an alien or an alligator?"

"The victims fit the M.O., too," Bobby confirmed. "Tricksters target the high and the mighty, knock them down a peg, usually with a sense of humor, deadly pranks, things like that."

Dean started pacing the room. Emmy recognized his expression, the one he used when he was overthinking stuff. She crossed her fingers behind her back, hoping that her brothers would buy this.

"What do these things look like?" Dean eventually questioned.

"Lots of things, but human, mostly," Emmy answered.

Dean stopped dead in his tracks and turned to Sam. "And what human do we know who's been at ground zero this whole time?"

Sam's eyes widened briefly, realization hitting him suddenly. "The janitor."

Emmy hid a smile, happy that they were finally catching on.

 **SPN**

Emmy watched as the janitor locked a gate with a key attached to his belt. The ten year old had joined her brothers as they went to do some research on the offices at Crawford Halls. The cover was that she was Dean's daughter and they couldn't find a babysit. Emmy thought it was the lamest excuse and if Gabriel didn't had to stick to his part, than their cover would've been blown a long time ago.

As they followed the janitor up the staircase, Gabriel caught her eye and winked. Emmy blushed and looked down. This was harder than she thought, pretending not to know the janitor when the same man had saved her life multiple times.

"Sorry I'm dragging a little ass today, boys. Had quite the night last night." Gabriel smirked and motioned for Emmy to cover her ears.

Rolling her eyes, she decided to play along and pressed her hands against her ears.

"Lots of sex, if you catch my drift," he whispered, wiggling his eyebrows.

Sam cleared his throat uncomfortably while a little smirk played on Dean's lips.

"Perv," Emmy coughed. Her brothers didn't notice but Gabriel's eyes held amusement. To make it up to her, he offered her a lollipop.

"I'm not allowed to take candy from strangers," she smiled sarcastically before brushing past him and moving up the stairs.

Gabriel laughed. "She's funny, I like her."

"Yeah, who doesn't. Listen, we won't be long." Dean was rushed and wanted to wrap it up as fast as possible. "We just need to check a couple offices up on three."

The trickster nodded. "No problem."

As they moved up to the third floor, where Emmy was waiting, Sam suddenly stopped. "I, uh, forgot something in the truck. You know what? I'll catch up with you guys."

Gabriel shared a quick glance with Emmy. The youngest Winchester nodded, signaling him that this was all part of the plan and that he only needed to play along.

"Okay," Dean nodded.

They turned and begin ascending the stairs again. Meanwhile, Sam had made his way back to the locked gate. With the help of his lockpicking tools, he managed to break in. Rummaging through the lockers, he suddenly found a copy of the Weekly World News with the headlines _"Aliens abduct cheerleaders."_

 **SPN**

"Just 'cause he reads the Weekly World News doesn't mean he's our guy," Sam said as soon as they exited the building. "I mean, you read it, too."

Dean was adamant that the janitor was the one. "I'm telling you, it's him."

"I second that," Emmy quipped.

Sam still didn't seem persuaded. "Look, I just think we need some hard proof. That's all."

"Okay, another thing Bobby mentioned was that these suckers have a metabolism like an insect, a real sweet tooth," Dean put forth.

"Well, I didn't find any candy bars or sugar," Sam replied.

"He offered me a lollipop, that must count for something, right?" Emmy reminded them, sounding hopeful. She knew that her brothers were both already convinced that the janitor was behind all of this. Apparently Sam and Dean's genius plan was to trick the trickster by making it appear they weren't onto him. Which was obviously stupid because Gabriel and Emmy were literally leading them to the trickster. But of course, if they wanted to succeed, then they only needed to play along. So Emmy was willing to play dumb if that was going it to make it work.

"Well, that's probably 'cause you missed something," Dean argued.

"I don't miss things," Sam shot back.

Dean shook his head in disbelief. "Oh, right, 'cause you're Mr. Perfect."

"What? Are you really still pissed at me 'cause of what the trickster did?"

"You been a tight ass long before that trickster showed up," Dean talked back.

Sam pressed his lips into a thin line. "Look, just...stay here, keep an eye on the janitor. I'll go to his place to see if I can find any actual evidence before you go barging in and staking the man! Just wait till I get back, okay?" Sam started to leave and shot his brother one last look. "Okay?"

"Okay!" Dean snapped.

"I think he saw it," Emmy whispered, referring to the janitor. She caught Gabriel looking through one of the windows and nodded imperceptibly.

Dean leaned against one of the wall brick walls, crossing his arms over his chest. "Good. Now, let's just hope this works."

"Oh, shoot! I forgot my phone!" Emmy frantically searched through her pockets. "I must've left it in that office we searched through. I'll be right back!"

"Wait, hey!" Dean called after her. "I'm not gonna let you enter that building alone, not with the janitor still in there."

Emmy sighed exasperatedly. "Dean, please, I'm not four anymore. I promise I'll be back in five."

Dean didn't seem at ease even though he relented. "Okay, five minutes and I'm coming after you!"

"Yeah, yeah!" Emmy brushed off, running back to the building. She went into a hallway and searched for the angel. "Gabriel? Gabriel!"

"What's up, buttercup?"

Emmy startled when he suddenly appeared behind her. "Stop sneaking up on me like that!"

Gabriel grinned, apparently finding it amusing. "Got any news for me?"

"My brothers are so onto you," Emmy told him.

"You mean that fight was a trick?"

Emmy nodded. "Exactly."

"What, they think they can trick the trickster?" Gabriel chuckled. "Those half-baked brothers of yours."

"Hey!" Emmy jabbed him in the stomach. It probably only tickled, but she liked to think it hurt. "Those are my brothers you're talking about. Watch your tongue."

"Whatever," was his casual response. "So what's the brilliant scheme of those wise, nimble brothers of yours?"

"Well obviously they're hoping you've seen them fight so you wouldn't assume that they're onto you. Dean's keeping an eye on you but that's only to distract you from Sammy who's getting backup from Bobby. As soon as they get back, Dean will enter and look for you. When he finds you, uncle Bobby and Sammy will be there and they'll stake you."

Gabriel clapped his hands together, wringing them as he laughed. "Sounds like it's gonna be one hell of a party."

"Yeah, sure whatever you want. So you're certain that this stake won't kill you?" Emmy would be lying if she said she wasn't a bit concerned about the archangel.

"Aw, is cutie pie worried about good ol' Gabe?" The angel mocked, pinching her cheeks.

"Get off me," Emmy scowled. "You better hope this plan works cause I don't like this at all."

"Don't worry, your brothers and I are gonna have the most fun we ever had in a long time."

"No fun," Emmy pointed a warning finger. Apparently 'fun' meant killing according to the angel and she was absolutely no fan of that. "Just promise me you won't hurt my brothers."

"I promise." The angel held up his pinky finger and Emmy couldn't help but half-smile as she hooked her finger around his.

"I guess I'll see you later, then?" Emmy started to leave when something came to mind. "Oh, and Gabriel? Don't ever call me cutie pie again, there's only one person who can call me that, and you're not it."

The angel nodded, not seeming to mind. "Got it," he winked before disappearing into thin air.

 **SPN**

"Where's your phone?" Dean asked as soon as Emmy came back.

Emmy mentally face palmed. "Oh right, I don't think I even brought it with me in the first place. My bad."

Dean's eyes were fixed on hers, studying her. "You okay?"

"Me? I'm fine, super. I mean why wouldn't I be?" she rambled nervously. She hoped Dean didn't caught onto her scheme, that would ruin everything.

"Just wondering why you were giving us the cold shoulder for the past six days."

"Oh," Emmy breathed. A part of her was relieved he didn't suspect anything about the trickster but then again, this wasn't the scenario she preferred either. "Yeah, I was just – uh, I just needed some time, Dean, that's all."

"Time for what?" he didn't sound pushy but more like he was trying to understand.

Emmy shrugged lazily, leaning against the wall behind her. "Just trying to set my mind straight."

Dean reached over to adjust her hairclip, his hand lingering in her hair. "You know you can talk to me about anything."

Twisting her lips, Emmy looked down at her bright blue sneakers. "Wish it were that easy, but it doesn't work like that, Dean."

Frowning, Dean voiced his confusion, "What are you talking about?"

Emmy took a deep breath, mustering up some courage to face her brother before locking eyes with him. "You're constantly expecting me to spill my thoughts and feelings, not realizing that trust goes both ways."

Dean's eyebrows raised slightly. "You don't trust me?"

Emmy's gaze went downcast again. "Not when you keep lying to my face, no."

Her response threw Dean off guard. He hadn't expected to hear her honesty out loud, it was confronting and he would be lying is he said it didn't sting. "Sweetheart, I'm not lying –"

"Cut the bull, Dean," Emmy cut him off, once again rendering her brother speechless. She kept her eyes on her shoes, they suddenly seemed so interesting. "Quit thinking I'm stupid and oblivious."

It took Dean several seconds to grasp onto the right words to say. He knelt in front of her, reaching up to cup her chin, demanding her full attention. "Listen to me Emmy, never did it once cross my mind to even _think_ you're stupid. And why would you even begin to assume we'd think you're oblivious?"

Emmy twisted her head, releasing herself from his grip. "You don't think I notice?"

"Notice what?"

"All those times I would catch you guys staring at me when you think I don't notice. There's this look in your eyes, like you feel sorry or pitiful or something. Then there's the hushed conversations when you think I'm asleep or those looks you give each other, the ones where you talk without saying anything. Or that time Sammy was drunk and he almost spilled the beans but you stopped him. Not to mention the fact that Meg explicitly told me my own brothers were hiding something from me. So don't you dare tell me you and Sammy are not lying to me."

Dean stared at her glistening blue eyes, his gut wrenching at the thought that the he was the reason she was hurt. He vowed he was going to protect her with his life, nothing would come close enough to harm her, they'll have to go through him first. When did his job of protecting her suddenly backlash? How come he thought he was taking care of her, but instead she was hurting all that time?

 _Because, you're one selfish son of a bitch, Dean Winchester,_ he thought to himself.

It was never about Emmy, it was all about him. Dean couldn't bear the thought of Emmy discovering the truth because he couldn't bear the thought of her loving him less or worse, hating him. He always used the excuse that he didn't want to hurt her, but the truth was that he didn't want to be the one getting hurt. Dean was afraid that once Emmy knew, she'd never look at them the same way and that was Dean's worst nightmare. His baby sister was the only one he had left, the only good thing in his life, the only reason he didn't feel like he messed up. Raising her had created this bond between the two, a bond so strong and so solid, Dean couldn't imagine ever living without her. It already broke his heart in million pieces when he found out that she wasn't his full sister. He reacted by pushing her away, he ignored her because he couldn't fathom looking at those dazzling eyes and be reminded that she wasn't fully his. If he responded by distancing himself from her, who knows how Emmy would react.

Emmy sniffed, roughly wiping away the tears forming her eyes. This seemed to have pulled Dean out of his train of thoughts. He looked up at that young face, thinking how she was too beautiful to live in this filthy world, too innocent to deal with the crap they dragged her into, too good to deserve all the bad surrounding her.

"Don't cry, baby. Please don't." One hand was drying her wet cheek while the other stroked her trembling chin. "I was telling the truth when I told you I wasn't lying, Emmy. I'm not, and neither is Sam. We're simply not telling you everything and that's not a choice we made because we think you're stupid or because you don't deserve to know, but because we love you, sweetheart. We love you so much that we didn't realize we were hurting you."

Looking at him through her long, wet eyelashes, Emmy studied her brother's green eyes. Dean usually never let his facial expressions betray him, he was a master at keeping up a fake mask. But his eyes were another story. Those green orbs were the entrance to his soul and only a few people could see through it. Emmy was one of them. She detected sorrow, pain, honesty, but mostly love. It was rare that Dean ever looked at anyone like that. He was showing his true self and Emmy realized that this was exceptional, Dean never gave himself away that easily.

Dean's hands engulfed her small ones, his thumbs brushing her soft knuckles. "Listen, baby. I promised Dad to keep you out of it, and you know I never break my promises."

"But Dad's not here anymore." Emmy's voice was so fragile and broken, mirroring how she felt, "You can tell me."

Dean's lips twitched in a sad smile. "It's not worth it, sweetheart. I know you don't trust me, but you gotta trust me on this – it will never be worth it."

Emmy absently leaned a bit forward, subconsciously seeking comfort. She let her brother wrap his arms around her middle. "What are you so afraid of?"

Dean's arms tightened as he lifted her up, he let her rest her forehead against his as he softly nuzzled her freckled nose. "I ain't afraid of nothing, Emmy. I'm afraid _for_ you." Dean leaned up to plant a long, soft kiss on her forehead. "I'm so sorry, sweetheart."

Emmy hugged her brother closely, burying her face in his warm neck, but not before catching a certain angel's eyes staring at her from a window on the fourth floor. Emmy stared back until she blinked, and gone was the angel. Gabriel was right, she thought. Normally she could coax her brothers into doing anything, she only needed to perfect her puppy dog eyes and perfect pout. Dean was the easiest one to wrap around her little finger, one look and he'll cave. So the fact that he seemed so adamant to keep his lips sealed, proved that the archangel was right. Whatever it was Emmy didn't know, she was better off not knowing.

 **SPN**

Several hours later, Emmy yawned as she lay on her back in the front seat of the Impala. She crossed her ankles, leaning them on the dashboard while Dean lightly massaged her head in his lap. They hadn't exchanged any other word after their conversation, not that it was needed. The message was clear to Emmy – she wasn't allowed to know. At first she would protest against this stupid rule, no one had the right to keep her on the sideline like that. But her brothers were resolute and the archangel gave her more than one warning.

As she closed her eyes, relaxing under her brother's soothing touch and his familiar humming, Emmy couldn't help but wonder what if her Dad was still alive. Would she had known if he was still here? Emmy felt this uncomfortable urge to feel some anger towards the man for betraying her again. Even when he was dead, he still succeeded at disappointing her. It was sad to say that she was used to his dishonesty, Emmy never really was used to take her father for his word. She never knew when he was being honest to her, his lies and truths were too interwoven. That was John Winchester, Emmy loved him to the moon and back but she never ever trusted him.

Trust was something precious to her, she didn't give it away that easily. People had to earn it, they had to prove they deserved her trust. Emmy could count on one hand the ones she trusted, Sam and Dean were two of them. The youngest Winchester remembered how she told her brother she didn't trust him anymore just two hours ago and she had to admit that she wished she could take it back. Dean and Sam never misused her trust, they did take it for granted sometimes, but they never misused it. Still, wounds never heal easily, so it would take some time for her to get over it. And Emmy knew her brothers would give her all the time of the world.

"Ah, screw this." Dean abruptly leaned over to grab his gun from the glove department.

Emmy sat up, groggily rubbing her eyes. "What is it?"

"I've waited too long," he grumbled, leaning forward to fetch his duffel bag at Emmy's feet. He rummaged through it, grabbing the weapons he needed.

"But uncle Bobby and Sammy aren't here yet," Emmy pointed out, her voice hinted with concern.

"They will be, soon." Dean tucked his gun in his waistband and the wooden stake on the inside of his jacket. "You stay here and –"

"No way, I'm coming with you." Emmy needed to be there, she had to make sure Gabriel was being true to his word, he can't hurt or touch her family.

Dean's hand circled around her forearm, pulling her back from opening the door. "It's not safe, Emmy. Please, just stay put and make sure no one enters the building, alright?"

Emmy sighed. Nothing was going to change her brother's mind. "Fine."

"Awesome." Dean gathered his stuff, preparing to leave.

"Be careful," Emmy told him.

Dean turned to look at her, his eyes shining with a hint of playfulness. "I'm Batman, remember?"

Emmy couldn't help but roll her eyes as an impish smile played on her lips.

 **SPN**

It was an hour later when Emmy checked her watch. She was plastered against the window, her eyes fixed on the entrance of Crawford Hall, hoping to catch sight of her brothers and uncle but nothing. They weren't supposed to be that long, Gabriel promised to be easy bait and he said he was going to play along.

"So what is taking them so long?" she muttered under her breath.

Not feeling like waiting any longer, she stepped out of the car, shivering from the cold night air before making her way over to the building. Emmy searched through the hallways, looking for a sign of her brothers or the so called trickster but she got nothing. That's until she heard a loud crash, followed by some painful grunts.

Running down the hallway, her sneakers squeaking against the old floor, she suddenly stopped in front of two large wooden doors of what looked like a theater. With all her might, she slowly pushed the door open, revealing the violent scene in front of her. Her eyes gradually widened as they fell upon the round, red bed with a tacky canopy in the middle of the stage. There was a slowly rotating disco ball hanging from the ceiling, but that wasn't what got her frozen.

It was the two women, dressed in lingerie, attacking her brothers. They were fighting dirty, throwing Sam and Dean around like ragdolls. Emmy startled when she heard a chainsaw going off and her breath hitched when she saw a masked man grabbling with Bobby.

"Ah, ha ha!"

Emmy's head snapped when she heard laughter. Her eyes narrowed as she spotted the trickster sitting on one of the seats, enjoying the scene as he casually chewed on a sandwich. "Ooh," he commented when Dean took another hit. One of the ladies threw him into the seats near the trickster. "Nice toss, ladies! Nice show," he applauded.

Emmy had had enough. She was bristling with anger, her eyes shooting daggers at the angel. She left the theater, running down the end of the hallway before shouting, "GABRIEL!" She got no response, not even after calling him again and again and _again._

She couldn't just barge back into that theater and approach the angel, that would blow their cover and it would raise many questions from her brothers. No she had to find another way to catch the angel's attention. Emmy thought of all the occasions the angel came to her, they all had one thing in common…

 **SPN**

Emmy's breath fogged as she exhaled loudly. She rubbed her hands together trying to warm them up as she stood in the middle of the road, waiting for a car to drive by.

"This is a stupid idea," she told herself. But it was the only way to save her brothers and uncle. Sam and Dean would've done the same thing, she tried to convince herself. They always said how they would _die_ to protect her. Well, it was her turn to return the favor.

As a car came speeding down the road, Emmy waited until it got close enough. She held her breath, pinched her eyes closed … and jumped in front of the car. She heard the car's loud horn, the tires screeching but she didn't feel a single thing.

"What in god's name is wrong with you!?"

Slowly peeling her eyes open, Emmy took in her surroundings and noticed she was back in the parking lot near the Impala. She looked down at herself, patting her face and body in search of bruises, broken bones or even blood but there was nothing.

Fingers snapping in front of her eyes brought her back to reality. Emmy looked up and came eye to eye with a pair of some furious hazel eyes.

"You trynna kill yourself, little girl?" Gabriel roared, not hiding how pissed he was.

"I'm not dead," Emmy breathed, still needing to process what just happened.

The archangel rolled his eyes. "Wow, you're observant. Now that you've come to the conclusion your limbs are still attached, you mind answering my question?"

"You didn't answer when I called!" Emmy accused, now equally angry.

"Well, excuse me for being busy."

"Yeah, busy with inflicting pain on my brothers!" Emmy snapped. "Dammit, Gabriel that wasn't the deal. You were supposed to let them win!"

"I might have gotten carried away. But hey, I'm not getting down without a fight. I have a reputation to hold, sugar," he clicked his tongue.

Emmy clenched her teeth, this angel was literally using every little amount of patience she had left. "Gabriel, please. I'm begging over here, just call off your minions or whatever they are. Please."

The angel held her gaze, trying not to crumble. "Okay, okay, okay. Just stop looking at me like that, God you make me feel like the biggest jerk in the universe. Just get rid of those doey eyes, it's destroying every piece of manhood I still got."

Emmy smiled triumphantly.

"Voila, it's done. Your familia is safe and sound."

Emmy's jaw slacked. "What? You literally didn't do anything!"

Gabriel lowered his head to hers, their noses nearly touching. "I'm an archangel, Mary-Elisabeth, don't underestimate my powers."

"But you're still here, they're supposed to stake you. If they haven't done it, they won't stop looking for you until –"

"Shhh." The angel pressed his finger to her lips, shutting her up. "I sent my twin to fix it, stop worrying your pretty little head off."

"Oh, well," Emmy pushed his hand away, "thanks I guess?"

"Yeah, you're welcome blah blah blah," he dribbled. "Now get back in the car, they're on their way out."

Emmy couldn't get another word out when she suddenly found herself in the backseat of the Impala. She peered out of the window but the angel had long disappeared, but her brief disappointment was replaced with relief when she caught sight of Bobby and her brothers emerging from the building. They looked roughed up but none of the wounds looked too severe. They will live.

 **SPN**

Back at the motel, Emmy waved at Bobby as he departed in his rusty truck. He flickered the taillights as a sign of goodbye before he sped away. She had chosen not to go with him, knowing that she couldn't stay away from her brothers any longer. They needed each other and frankly, Emmy was missing getting back on the road. She just needed some time off once in a while, some time to herself, some time to collect her thoughts. But now she was ready to go for the next few months.

Emmy hoisted her backpack on her back and climbed on the stairs to their motel room. Her brothers decided to get some shuteye for the night before they got the hell out of dodge by early morning.

"Hey," Emmy said as she entered the room and closing the door behind her.

Sam turned around from where he was facing a mirror on the opposite wall, and shot her a quick smile. "Hey. Bobby left?"

"Yeah." Emmy watched as he continued dabbing at some blood on his temple, cleaning the cut. "You okay?"

Sam chuckled softly. "I think I can handle some punches, besides it's nothing too serious."

Emmy nodded as she put her bag on one of the beds. She rummaged through it, taking out some clean clothes and toiletries. She could hear the water running from the bathroom and guessed that Dean was taking a shower. She chewed on her bottom lip as she felt Sam's presence behind her, walking around the room as he gathered their stuff.

She abruptly turned around and said, "Sammy, I'm sorry."

The middle Winchester stopped cleaning up the first aid kit, confusion showing on his face. "Sorry for what?"

"For, you know … not talking to you and all that," she admitted quietly. "I was angry at what Meg told me and I shouldn't have taken it out on you. So, again, sorry."

Sam's face softened as he crossed the room. He perched himself on the bed next to her and wrapped his strong arms around her. "Told you, you shouldn't apologize, honey."

Emmy returned the hug, having missed to have his firm chest against her cheek. She nuzzled his shirt, finding comfort in the familiar scent and warmth.

"So, Dean told me about your conversation," Sam started carefully, "You really don't trust us anymore?"

"Trust can be easily won back, Sammy," was the only thing Emmy said with a tone that said she didn't feel like dwelling on the subject any longer.

Sam's arms tightened around her, his lips grazing her hairline before he planted a tender kiss. "Well, I'm gonna do whatever it takes to win that trust back."

"Mhmm." Emmy closed her eyes, focusing on his steady heartbeat.

"You know the saying 'words cut deeper than a knife'?" Sam asked as one hand ran along her arm while the other gently stroked her hair. "You should know that that's not true, words are powerless. They don't have the capability to hurt you, unless … unless the person who said them means a lot to you." Sam lowered his head to place another kiss on top of his baby sister's head. "The secrets we keep to ourselves, is not because we don't trust you or don't love you, it's because we're not the ones you should hear them from."

 **SPN**

Emmy's toes wriggled in the sand as she let another wave wash over her feet. The wind caressed her exposed skin so gently like the touch of a mother's hand. She breathed in the fresh and salty air of the sea with eyes closed to savor it more. Every time the water kissed her bare feet, she felt like the waves were pulling her with them, as if the sea wanted to take her further away, to some magical place where there was no pain, no loss, no betrayal, … no secrets.

Emmy was enjoying the peace, the sounds of the waves crashing and the beautiful sunset. She suddenly felt a warm presence standing next to her.

"You dream of long walks at the beach?"

Emmy didn't look away from the orange sun slowly drowning in the sea, and replied, "What are you doing in my dream, Gabriel? You're not here to erase my memory again, are you?"

"Just wanted to thank you again for what you did today." The angel was dressed in a black suit, his hands tucked in his pockets, while his hair waved in the wind. "And no, I'm not here to tinker with your mind again, but you need to promise me you won't tell anybody about me."

"I promise," Emmy smiled. "If you promise not to let your hobbies get out of control again."

Gabriel smirked, amused. "I promise." He cleared his throat, "So you thought about what you want in exchange for your service?"

"Yeah." Emmy stared longingly at the bright sun still gradually sinking in the sea, causing the water to twinkle as if little stars were strewed over the still waves. The little blonde dropped her blue eyes to her buried feet in the sand before looking up at the angel. "I want to see my dad."

Gabriel's mouth opened but he couldn't succeed at finding the right words.

Emmy cut in before he could and said, "You told me I could ask _anything._ "

"Mary-Elisabeth, I don't think I can – "

"You're an angel," she interrupted, "there's nothing you can't do, right? Please, I only want a chance to talk to him." Emmy figured out that her father was the creator of the secrets being kept from her, her brothers' lips were locked because they didn't think it was up to them to reveal the truth. So what if she could ask her own father?

Gabriel pressed his lips into a thin line. One the one hand, she was right – he was a celestial being, the power he had was far beyond a human's imagination. But on the other hand, would it be a good thing to fulfill the youngest Winchester's wish, a wish that asked him to bring someone out of hell?

"Please, Gabriel," she pleaded again with those eyes that seemed to touch him to the core. "I promise I'll stay away from all those books, I won't ever do any research again. I won't even ask any questions anymore. But please, please just let me see my dad one last time."

The archangel looked down when he felt a small hand grip his. He locked eyes with a pair of fierce cobalt orbs, the kind of blue that would make every ocean and even the sky jealous. He was drawn to her glow – colorful wisps hovering around her, reminding him of soft feathers surrounding her like a shield. This little human being had no idea how powerful she was, no earthling had ever been able to move him so easily. There was this connection even he couldn't explain, but the bond was tangible, he could feel it.

Gabriel squeezed her hand back. "I'll see what I can do."

 ** _A/N: Voila! This chapter was an overdose of our favorite angel Gabriel, so I hope you liked it_** _:)  
_ _ **I'm gonna be honest with you guys, this chapter was fvcking hard to write, especially with those flashbacks since Emmy wasn't there but I still couldn't skip them because they were important to the storyline. You have no idea how many times I rewrote parts only to delete it and start over again. Anyway that's one reason why it took me so long. The other reason is school and my boyfriend who got in an accident (he's okay, just a mild concussion, some bruises and a fractured leg, but other than that he'll be up and at 'em in no time :) ) Anyway, I was just really stressed and obviously this story wasn't my priority. Hopefully I'll get to update more regularly in the future…**_

 ** _Also, it means so much to me that even though I've been gone for quite some time, you guys still have my back. Thanks for all those lovely reviews/favorites/follows. Your support is what drives me, it's the reason I haven't given up on this story. There is so much I wanna write and so many episodes I've already written out in my head, I just wish that I'll get enough time to actually get that far. There's so much more to come, and I get excited just thinking about, I can't wait to share it with you guys!_**

 ** _So let me know what you thought of my take on this episode, I hope you Gabriel lovers are satisfied ;)_**

 ** _Love you XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_**


	16. Heart

**Disclaimer: Supernatural doesn't belong to me. I only own my OC Mary-Elisabeth "Emmy" Winchester.**

Emmy strolled through the aisles of the clothing store, letting the tips of her fingers touch the endless rows of t-shirts. She was in dire need of some new clothes, her old pants and shirts were slowly getting smaller by the day. The ten year old was literally growing out of her clothes and she herself found it weird because she couldn't for the life of her notice any changes about her body. But her brothers did notice how she gained several inches and how everything about her became more defined and delicate. Her heart shaped face was getting sharper, gradually losing that baby fat. Her body was losing that childish component as she grew more feminine.

She was resembling her mother more each day, but Sam and Dean weren't exactly excited about it. They started to notice how Emmy already turned heads, some people would even stare a little longer than was necessary, it was pure harmless and a show of admiration. But the brothers dreaded the day when certain people would stare at her for all the wrong reasons. As much as the male Winchesters wished they could stop letting her grow up, they knew that there was absolutely nothing they could do but stand and watch … and maybe throw some warning glares here and there.

Emmy stopped trailing her fingers through the shirts when her eye caught something. Her cheek bulged as she sucked on her lollipop while she grabbed one of the shirts that got her attention. The shirt was white with a large pink heart in the middle and a text on it saying ' _My mom has the most awesome daughter in the world'._ Emmy's lips twitched upwards in a sad smile, what she wouldn't do to be able to wear that shirt. As she stared at the words, Emmy couldn't help but wonder how she would turn out to be if Mary were still alive. Would she be wearing a flowery dress with those low-cut shoes that had straps, her hair done in two perfect pigtails held with ribbons – instead of wearing worn sneakers with different colors of shoelaces, a black and white t-shirt of Mickey Mouse tucked in her denim jeans and her hair thrown in a messy bun.

Emmy honestly didn't know what would have become of her if her mother was still alive. Well she did know one thing for certain, if Mary wasn't gone, she would've been the one who had taken Emmy to buy some new clothes instead of Dean who was too busy flirting with the shop assistant who couldn't stop fluttering her fake eyelashes and repeatedly licking her lips to the point she almost ate all her lipstick.

The youngest Winchester rolled her eyes at the scene and decided to look for some more clothes she could add to her pile. She already picked out two pairs of jeans, a light one and a dark one, five new t-shirts in all kinds of colors and with different prints, some socks that didn't have holes, underwear, a denim jacket and some shorts. The last thing Emmy needed was some decent hair bands and bobby pins. She swore those things were secretly alive and waited until she was asleep to run off and magically disappear in the morning.

Emmy walked down the aisle with all the hair accessories. She found the bobby pins she needed and some hair bands in different colors to match her outfits. The rack was filled with a bunch of other items like headbands and hairclips and Emmy couldn't help but check them out. She picked out two headbands, a red one with a bow and another yellow one with a white butterfly on top. Emmy wasn't a girly girl per se but she did like to pamper herself from time to time. She tried both, posing in front of a mirror but couldn't decide which one looked better.

"You should take the white one, the butterfly matches with your necklace."

Emmy turned to find a young girl smiling at her. She looked to be around Emmy's age, maybe a little older. She had chocolate brown eyes and black hair to her shoulders causing her round face to stand out more. Resting on her nose was a pair of brown glasses matching the freckles peppered on her cheeks.

"Oh, thanks," Emmy said after taking the lollipop from her mouth. She was a little surprised at the sudden intervention.

"You're welcome," the girl smirked. "My name's Mary-Jane, but you can call me MJ."

"That's funny," Emmy giggled, "My name's Mary-Elisabeth, but you can call me Emmy."

The girl just smiled, her eyes trailing up and down Emmy. MJ's eyes held a glint of something but Emmy couldn't put her finger on it. The face was sweet and kind but those chocolate eyes shined with something dark, something otherworldly… The youngest Winchester fidgeted under MJ's gaze, feeling a little uneasy at being so scrutinized.

Clearing her throat as she tried to pull the girl's attention, Emmy said, "So, you prefer the white one?"

The girl seemed to snap out of her thoughts and nodded. "Yeah, definitely. Here, let me put it on."

Emmy didn't even get the chance to protest when MJ took the headband out of her hands and moved to stand behind her. She was several inches taller than Emmy and reached up to set the accessory in her hair. Emmy shuddered when she felt cold fingertips grazing her temple. She looked up at the mirror and intended to see how she looked with the hearband but instead her eyes settled on MJ. The girl wasn't looking at Emmy, but _around_ Emmy. She seemed intrigued, almost mesmerized by something hovering around the Winchester.

Emmy swallowed hard, her mouth suddenly feeling dry. "I think I'll go with the red one," she said as she turned around, taking an imperceptible step away from the girl. Emmy couldn't explain, but she felt weird around MJ, like something was off.

MJ smiled but her eyes reflected something else, something cold. "Sure, whatever you want."

Emmy's blue eyes flickered between hers, trying to study her, looking for something, anything, but came up with nothing. "Uh, thanks for the help though."

MJ's gaze slid to something behind Emmy, her face hardening for a brief second, even Emmy missed it. "Don't mention it."

And with that the girl turned on her heels, her black hair cascading down her back as she walked away with a light skip in her steps.

Emmy, still confused as hell, jumped when she felt a heavy hand landing on her shoulders.

"Oh, hey that's cute," Dean commented as he pulled the hairclip from her messy bun, letting her hair fall down her shoulders and around her face.

Emmy finally managed to tear away her eyes from MJ's back and turned to face her brother. She lifted her hand to take off the headband, putting it back on the rack before putting the lollipop back in her mouth. "It's stupid."

Dean frowned, immediately noticing something was up. "What's wrong, huh?"

Emmy felt her gaze turn back to MJ involuntarily. The girl was standing with her back turned to Emmy as she looked through some dresses.

Dean followed her gaze and squinted. "Did she bother you?"

Emmy took a little bit too long to answer for his liking when she replied with a simple, "No."

Reaching over to tuck some hair behind her ears, his thumb brushed her cheekbone. "Want me to talk to her?"

This seemed to pull Emmy's attention and she firmly shook her head. "No, no way. Let's just go, Sammy's probably waiting back at the motel."

Dean seemed surprised as she took his hand to drag him away. "Wait, you sure, sweetheart? Cause if she did something, or said something to my cutie pie, I will give her a small reminder that no one messes with a Winchester – "

Emmy rolled her eyes. "Dean, really, it's nothing. Let's just go pay for this and leave."

The oldest Winchester was a bit suspicious, but decided to drop it. Besides he wasn't going to complain when his baby sister decided to go, he never was a fan of shopping anyway. Good thing he loved the pretty little thing unconditionally, or he would never set foot in a store that sold pink and flowery stuff. It was just one of those times he had to force himself to swallow his pride and silence his protesting manhood, because after all he had a reputation to hold. But deep down he wouldn't have it any other way, he realized after his father's death, that he was now responsible for Emmy. He took care of her and made sure she got everything she needed. Going to girly stores to buy her new clothes was just part of the job.

But if he had to be honest, he really didn't mind. He liked how Emmy depended on him, how he could provide for her. It was the main reason he always used his own credit card when it came to his little sister, she was under his care and he would be damned if he didn't spend his own hard-earned money on her. She was probably the only thing he ever spent his own money on.

"Aw, is that you little sister? She's so adorable!"

Dean was snapped out of his thoughts as the blonde bombshell he was hitting on earlier scanned the articles. His lips turned upward in a proud smirk, "She sure is."

Emmy merely mumbled a thanks as she repeatedly threw glances behind her. She couldn't shake off that nagging feeling in her guts, it was slowly starting to get on her nerves.

"I bet someone's gonna have to chase all those boys away," the woman gushed. Her nametag said she went by the name _Jennifer_ with a heart on the i.

Dean snorted, _puh-lease,_ wait until they see his arsenal.

"She looks so much like you," the cashier continued, "it's the freckles, the lips and the nose."

"Mhmm," Dean hummed as he impatiently tapped his foot, willing the girl to work faster instead of ogling his baby sister. It was one thing when they showed interest in him, but dammit leave his sister out of it. Dean never introduced the girls he hooks up with to Emmy, there was a reason for that, he wanted to keep his flings and family apart. So watching how the cashier was more intrigued with how Emmy kept her hair soft and shiny, was like a warning bell going off in his head.

Don't get him wrong, he didn't mind when his sister conversed with women, if anything Emmy could only benefit from some female company. But a woman who just told him she got off in an hour and even offered to 'get to know each other better' in the back of the store of all places, was _not_ the kind of female presence he wanted around his baby sister.

Dean paid and took the bags without so much of a goodbye and grabbed Emmy's small hand. As they left the store Emmy didn't miss how MJ caught her eye and waved, mouthing something that looked like _'see you later'._

 **SPN**

Sam looked up from his laptop when the door to the motel opened, revealing his siblings. Emmy got in first, chucking her coat on one of the beds while she toed off her shoes. Dean trailed behind her, setting some bags on the floor as he closed the door with the back of his foot.

"Hey," Sam greeted. "I see you're unharmed and very much still alive," he joked, referring to his brother.

Dean laughed sarcastically. "You never fail to crack me up, Sammy."

"Found something nice, honey?" Sam asked, watching as his sister took a seat at the table. She had this little frown on her face, her teeth chewing on her bottom lip as if she was distracted. "Emmy."

"Huh?" She slightly shook her head, unable to get rid of the mental image of Mary-Jane.

"I said did you find what you needed?" Sam repeated, not failing to show how he was a little concerned.

"Oh, yeah," she nodded absentmindedly. "Got everything I need."

The brothers exchanged a look. Sam tilted his head towards their sister, silently asking what was up with her. Dean shrugged in response, having no idea.

"Got anything on the vic, the lawyer guy?" he asked instead as he shrugged off his leather jacket.

Sam shut his laptop, sitting more upright in his chair while Emmy kept herself busy with reading the newspaper. "Yeah, I just got from the morgue. Get this, other than the nasty bite and his mangled body, the man's heart was missing."

Holding two beers and a bottle of water, Dean took a seat at the table handing them a drink. "He the first heart-free corpse in town?"

Sam nodded as he popped the cap of his bottle. "First man. Over the past year, several women have gone missing. Dead bodies all washed up later in the bay, too deteriorated to draw firm conclusions."

Dean took a long draw from his beer. "But no hearts?"

"No hearts," Sam confirmed. "They were all hookers working Hunter's Point. Now, cops are trying to keep things under wrap, but they're looking for a serial killer."

"And the lunar cycle?"

Emmy briefly looked up from reading an article, her eyes flicking between her brothers questionably. Was it her, or were they actually talking about werewolves?

"Yeah, month after month, all the murders happen in the week leading up to the full moon," Sam replied.

"Which is this week, right?" Dean sounded almost excited.

Sam tapped his fingers against the bottle in his hand. "Hence the lawyer."

Dean grinned. "Awesome."

Emmy rested her cheek on her hand and raised an eyebrow. "What's awesome about wanting to rip off all your clothes and run through the forest screaming your head off. Not to mention the sudden desire for raw meat and the excessive hair growing all over your body."

Sam chuckled. "Yeah, Dean, could you be a bigger geek about this?"

"I'm sorry, but what about 'a human by day, a freak animal killing machine by moonlight'. Don't you understand?" Dean was met with two pairs of unimpressed eyes. "I mean, werewolves are badass. We haven't seen one since we were kids."

Sam shook his head. "Okay, Sparky. And you know what? After we kill it, we can go to Disneyland."

"Wait, you guys have actually seen a werewolf before?" Emmy questioned, mindlessly flicking through the pages of the newspaper. "Awesome," she mumbled.

"See," Dean smirked, waving his hand at their sister, as if to prove Sam he wasn't the only one. "And you know what the best part about it is? We already know how to bring these suckers down." Dean held up a silver bullet lying on the table from where he was cleaning the guns earlier that day. "One of these bad boys right to the heart. So, what's our next move?"

Sam stretched his arms as he said, "Talk to the girl who found the body."

Emmy poked Sam's ribs, causing him to drop his arms. "We really going to Disneyland?"

"How about going to the park," Sam suggested instead.

She pretended to think about it and shrugged. "Good enough." As she continued reading the newspaper, her eyes suddenly came across a familiar face. "Oh god …"

The brothers instantly picked up on her distressed tone. "What is it?" Dean demanded.

Emmy stared at the picture of a brunette smiling back at her with a pair of warm brown eyes hidden behind some glasses.

"This article says this girl has been missing for eight days," she informed them as she showed them the picture.

Sam was confused. "So? There's a lot of kids missing, Emmy."

"I just saw her at the store, you saw her too Dean."

"Well, I didn't actually see her, just her back." Dean took the paper, trying to get a closer look. "You sure it's her?"

"Well, yeah. I guess." Emmy wrung her hands, suddenly feeling uneasy for some unknown reason. "She said her name was Mary-Jane and the article mentions the same name."

Sam rubbed his chin in thought. "You sure, honey?"

Emmy sighed. "I know what I saw, Sammy." She looked between her brothers, seeing that they were only half-convinced. "Shouldn't we call or something? There's a phone number, we can tell them we saw her earlier at the mall. Or maybe they can even use the camera footage to see for themselves."

Dean placed the newspaper back on the table. "I don't see why not."

"Okay, I'll give them a call," Sam promised, giving Emmy an affectionate pat on the head.

 **SPN**

Emmy looked around Madison's apartment as the woman let the Winchesters in.

She closed the door, turning to the siblings. "I don't understand. I already gave my statement."

"Right, well, we just need to verify a few things," Sam stated with a small smile.

Madison seemed to be okay with it and addressed the other man in the room. He had on a t-shirt of some church and looked so out of place for some reason. "This is my neighbor, Glen. Glen, this is Detective…"

"Landis," Dean answered as he dropped his hands on Emmy's shoulders. "This is my daughter Emmy, it's bring your kid to work today," he explained as he patted Sam's back, "And Detective Dante."

There was a sudden silence but luckily the bearded man, Glenn, decided to fill it before it turned awkward. "Well, I guess I'll leave you to it."

Madison smiled appreciatively. "Okay. Thanks for the casserole."

Dean's eyes shined with false politeness. "Oh, how thoughtful."

Emmy elbowed her brother.

"Just call if you need anything," Glenn said before he left.

"He's sweet," Madison mentioned as she led them to the kitchen table. "He came over to check on me. Have a seat."

Sam cleared his throat, his puppy dog eyes filled with compassion. "You must be pretty shaken up. You were Nate Mulligan's assistant, right?"

The brunette looked down at her intertwined hands. "For two years, yeah."

"So, you knew all about him?" Dean questioned.

"Probably knew more about him than he did. Nate was …" a smile lit up her face, "he was nice."

Sam cocked a questioning eyebrow. "But?"

"Nothing, really," she brushed off. "I – He had a few scotches in him, and he'd started hitting on anyone in a five-mile radius. You know the type."

Sam threw his brother a knowing look. Dean was practically drooling over her. He cleared his throat. "Yeah. I do, actually."

Dean didn't miss the accusation his brother threw him and opened his mouth to say something when Emmy tugged at his sleeve. She motioned for him to lean closer to whisper something in his ear.

Madison's lips twitched as she overheard the young girl's whispers. "Down the hall, second door to your left."

Emmy smiled sheepishly, her freckled cheeks colored. "Thanks."

"So," Dean started, picking up where they had left off. "Did, uh, did he have any enemies?"

Emmy didn't wait to hear Madison's response as she made her way upstairs. Finding the right door to the bathroom, she entered, gently closing the door behind her. Emmy did her business and washed her hands. She stood on her tiptoes to get a good a look at herself in the mirror. Adjusting the low hanging pigtails, she suddenly felt this shiver running up her spine. That same feeling she got when Sam was possessed by Meg, his eyes burning through her back. Emmy looked around, confused, but didn't find anything suspicious. She continued fixing her hair when she caught something out of the corner of her eyes.

The ten year old moved towards the window and carefully moved the curtains aside. There, at the curb, right next to the Impala was …

" _MJ_?" Emmy muttered. What the hell was she doing down there?

Emmy kept staring, needing to make sure that what she saw wasn't an illusion. She picked up her hand, hesitantly and slowly waving at the girl. Her heart skipped a beat when Mary-Jane waved back with a toothy grin. The dark haired girl hooked her finger, beckoning Emmy to come down.

Blue eyes widened in shock and awe, and without thinking clearly, Emmy spun around in her heals, making a beeline to the door.

 **SPN**

"Anyone that might have had a beef with him – a former client, an ex?" Dean inquired.

Sam noticed how Madison seemed to have someone in mind. "What?"

"Well, this is embarrassing," she nervously ran a hand through her hair, "but my ex-boyfriend, Kurt-"

"Kurt have a last name?" Dean pushed.

"Mueller," she told him. "After we broke up, he went kind of nuts. He's… well, he's kind of been stalking me. He got it in his head that something was going on between Nate and I. He showed up at my office."

"What happened?" Sam wanted to know.

"Kurt got into it with Nate, threw a punch before security grabbed him. I was lucky to keep my job."

"When was the last time you saw Kurt?" Dean asked, this might be the lead they were looking for.

"A few nights ago," she admitted after taking a deep breath. "Actually, the night Nate died. We were all grabbing drinks at this bar, and Kurt showed up."

"And?" Dean pressed.

The three briefly looked up when they heard a door slam, followed by quick footsteps.

Momentarily distracted, Madison answered, "Nothing. It was ... like he was watching me. Then he was gone. To tell you the truth… he scares me."

Before one of the brothers could reply, Emmy suddenly ran past them, bursting through the front door, not even bothering to close it or offer them some kind of explanation for her sudden rush.

Sam and Dean stood up, instantly realizing something was going on with their sister.

"Is she alright?" Madison voiced her concern.

Dean decided going after his sister was more important than coming with an answer he didn't have, so he left without so much of a goodbye.

"Uh, thanks for the information, Madison. We'll keep in touch." At least Sam had the decency to break up their conversation in a more acceptable and polite way before he left too.

 **SPN**

"Emmy!"

Outside the apartment, Dean had descended the front steps, looking around for his sister. What had gotten in her mind to just up and leave like that? She knew better than that. He found her across the street, right where he parked his baby and made his way over to her. Emmy was frantically looking around in search for something he didn't know. He bet she hadn't even noticed him when she turned away from him, running down the street.

"Emmy!" Dean yelled again, running after her. He easily caught up with her, grabbing her arm to stop her in her tracks. "Hey, what's going on with you huh?"

Emmy yanked at her arm, trying to release her brother's hold on her. "Dean, let me go!"

"The hell I will." He simply retaliated by grabbing both her upper arms, trapping her a vice-like grip. "Talk to me, Emmy."

"What happened?" Sam asked as he joined his siblings.

"You don't understand," she exclaimed, still trying to free herself.

"Understand what, honey?" Sam approached with a softer voice.

Throwing glances behind her back where MJ seemed to have disappeared, Emmy groaned in irritation when her brother wouldn't let her go. "She was right here! Standing right next to the Impala, she was looking at me, I saw it. And I swear she saw me too, she even waved back at me. She was just here and then, and then she wasn't. And now I don't know where she went and I, I tried to find her but I couldn't, I mean I don't know –"

"Okay, Emmy, baby," Dean cut off her rant, "you're not making any sense. Who are you talking about?"

"MJ! Who else would I be talking about!" she exclaimed.

"Who the hell is MJ?" Sam asked.

" _Mary-Jane_ ," she snapped.

"Hey," Dean gave her a light shake, "don't get snippy on us."

"Come on Dean, just let me go. I have to find her." Emmy wriggled in his hold, successfully succeeding at freeing herself. But as she tried to run off again, she didn't make it very far when a pair of strong arms caught her around her waist. "You guys, she wants me to find her. Lemme go!"

"You're not going anywhere," Dean grumbled as he carried her back to the car.

"Emmy, are you sure you saw her here?" Sam asked again as he opened the car door for her.

"I'm not stupid, Sammy. Of course I saw her!"

Sam decided to ignore her sharp-tongue. "Are you the only one who saw her?"

"Yes. I don't know, maybe." Emmy huffed as Dean finally released her, but he made sure to block every possible escape. "Ugh, you guys are so annoying, we have to find her!"

Dean let out a deep sigh before he crouched down in front of her, cupping her face between his huge hands. Emmy tried to jerk away but he had a firm grip on her, making sure she was listening to him. "First of all, you need to calm down. Second, if this girl wants you to find her, don't you think she would, oh I don't know, come to you? And third, you run off like that ever again, you can say goodbye to your candy privileges."

"But Dean - " she started to protest.

He held a single finger up, instantly silencing her. "Get in the car."

Emmy complied but not before mumbling under her breath, " _Stupid brothers."_

 **SPN**

Back at the motel, Emmy sat on the floor at the foot of one of the beds. Her arms were crossed over her flat chest, her lips pursed in a scowl. She was upset and she didn't fail to show it, not even when Dean entered with some food, almost tripping over her legs stretched out on the carpet. Emmy would've apologized but she figured he deserved it after stopping her from looking for MJ. When they got back an hour ago, she begged them to see reason but they wouldn't listen.

Emmy saw the girl, she would bet her life on it, but her brothers didn't believe her. Emmy even caught Sam muttering to Dean that she may have imagined everything. It took everything in her not to throw her shoe at him. Why would she possibly make everything up? It was ridiculous.

"Emmy, stop pouting and come eat your food."

Not giving Sam an ounce of attention, she kept her gaze focused on the television screen. "Not hungry."

Dean sighed. "Sweetheart – "

"Don't you sweetheart me," Emmy grumbled. She stood up, grabbed some clean clothes before disappearing in the bathroom, making sure that they heard the door close.

"Is this puberty?"

Sam rolled his eyes at his brother's comment. "It's a ten year old throwing a tantrum."

"Guess this thing's bothering her more than we thought," Dean said as he took a huge bite of his burger.

Sam wished his brother closed his mouth as he chewed. "It's kinda worrying me to be honest," Sam admitted. "You know Emmy, she's like the most level-headed girl I've ever met, she wouldn't grow upset for such an absurd thing."

Dean swallowed his food down with his beer. "You called that number on that article?"

"Yeah, they said they were looking into it."

"Got anything on the girl?" Dean questioned.

"She's eleven, comes from Utah. One day she went to school and when her mother came to pick her up she wasn't there," Sam told him.

"Utah? What's she doing here in California?" Dean couldn't picture an eleven year old making her own way to another state all by herself. Just thinking of Emmy backpacking on her own made his skin crawl. "Are we even sure this is the same girl? I mean, Emmy's been the only one who actually saw her."

Sam glanced at the bathroom door. "Let's give her till tomorrow. Hopefully she'll come around."

"Yeah, it's not like her to hold a grudge like that," Dean pointed out. He couldn't help but smirk though. "Gotta admit, she's too damn cute when she gets all mad."

Sam chuckled. "She does that thing when she wrinkles her button nose."

"Adorable," Dean agreed with a smile of his own. "Even the assistant at the mall was all over her."

Sam didn't miss the annoyance lacing his brother's tone. "Aw, you're jealous our baby sister got more attention from your new toy of the day?"

"Shuddup," Dean shot back. "That's so not cool. If women are already gushing over her, what's it gonna be in a couple years when the opposite sex notices her too?"

That thought stirred something in Sam. "We still got rifles."

Dean grinned devilishly, obviously like the way his brother thought.

They both looked up when Emmy emerged from the bathroom. She was dressed in some comfortable leggings and an old t-shirt that used to belong to their father. It was too big on her, hanging off of one of her shoulders but the texture and smell was irreplaceable. It was almost like having her father's arms around her.

The t-shirt reminded the brothers of the man they called Dad, the man who wasn't the same to Emmy. Sam and Dean's gazes crossed each other, both thinking the same thing. No matter how long they knew about it, or how much time they had to cope with it, it never got easier. Making the connection between their father and baby sister always left their hearts a little more broken than it already was.

Dean watched her resume her place at the foot of his bed, a pillow hugged to her chest, eyes fixed on the illuminating screen. This whole MJ thing was bothering her more than it should. He didn't like seeing his sister upset for any reason.

"You sure you're not hungry, cutie pie? I got your favorite, chicken fingers."

Emmy looked at him through narrowed eyes.

Dean held up his hands as if to say _'sorry I even asked'._ When she looked away he mouthed at Sam ' _still adorable'._

Sam snickered with a slight shake of his head.

"So what do you think of the ex-boyfriend."

"Kurt, the stalker ex-boyfriend?" Sam thought about it. "He hates the boss. And he was there that night."

"Think he's our dog-faced boy?" Dean took a bite of a chicken finger, hoping to get a reaction out of Emmy but her eyes remained glued to the screen.

Sam shrugged as he played with the label on his beer bottle. "Well, it's a theory."

"We've had worse."

"Yeah," he nodded.

Dean wiped his hands on his thighs. "What do you say we pay Kurt a visit?"

As the brothers got ready for their mission, Emmy regretted the whole ignoring thing. She wanted to ask if she could come with them but that would go against her own principles of trying to hold a grudge.

Sam came to stand in front of her, purposefully standing in her line of sight. "Okay, so we won't be long, should be back in two hours. In the meantime, you finish your homework cause I know you didn't complete the last chapter of your spelling book."

Emmy simply scowled, but at least she didn't defy him so Sam took it as a good sign. He wasn't gonna get a better response anyway. He dropped a kiss on top of her head, ignoring how she tried to pull away at first.

"The windows are salted," Dean informed her as they got ready to leave. "Don't forget to salt the door after you've locked it, you hear me?" When she didn't respond, he grabbed her chin. "Emmy, did you hear me?"

"Yes," she said through gritted teeth, jerking her chin from his hand.

"Hey," he warned as he reached over to regain his hold. He leaned over and kissed her temple before letting her go. "Keep your phone close," he said before they left and closed the door.

Emmy waited for the footsteps down the hallway but knew her brothers were waiting for her to lock the door first. She got up reluctantly and turned the key before salting the door.

She got back inside the room, flopping down the bed, letting out a tired sigh. Her stomach grumbled, the chicken fingers seemed really appetizing, and as much as she tried to prove a point at her brothers that she could stand her ground, that box on the table looked irresistible.

Succumbing to her desires, Emmy decided to get up and eat some of it. The SpongeBob theme song was softly playing in the background. The youngest Winchester absently hummed along when she heard a tap on the door. At first she didn't think too much of it and payed no heed to it. But then the tap repeated, more louder and hard. Emmy's legs stopped swinging under the table, the voices of Patrick and SpongeBob were the only sounds filling the silence in the room.

There was another tap on the door, sounding more like a knock and Emmy decided to check it out. She quietly slipped from her chair and picked it up to set in front of the door. She silently climbed on it, taking a peek through the peephole.

At first she didn't see anything, just an empty hallway. As she decided to get down, she abruptly caught some movement. A person came into view and Emmy gasped.

"MJ!"

Forgetting about every rule, she jumped off the chair, frantically fiddling with the key to unlock the door. As it finally opened, Emmy wasn't prepared to see absolutely no one.

"MJ?" she called out, checking the hallway but came up with nothing. Emmy frowned, was her mind playing tricks on her? She could've sworn she saw the girl. "Oh my god, I'm going crazy," she mumbled under her breath as she closed the door.

"No, you're not."

Emmy twirled around, coming face to face with the one and only Gabriel. "You saw her, too?"

The angel's jaw clenched. "Oh, I saw her," he spat with venom.

"Who is she? What does she want from me?"

"Do me a favor and stay away from her," Gabriel advised her.

Emmy was confused. "That still doesn't answer any of my questions."

"She's bad news, that's all you need to know."

Something in his voice told Emmy that he wasn't going to tell her more. Gabriel was adamant like that, and God only knew how many times she tried to get information out of him but the angel was as mysterious as a cat.

"So where did she go?" Emmy asked instead.

Gabriel waved his hand. "Oh, I scared her away."

"You scared her away? She knows you're an angel?"

"You know you ask a lot of questions, sugar?"

Emmy snorted. "You know you're so enigmatic?"

The angel laughed as he casually popped a chicken finger in his mouth. "Oh, little girl's using big words now, huh."

"I read it in my spelling book today," Emmy shrugged. "So what am I supposed to do, ignore her? It seems like she's following me everywhere, my brothers think I've lost it."

"Ignoring seems good enough, but don't worry I'm taking care of it," he promised as he took another chicken finger. "And you're not losing it, if anything your brothers are the ones who're missing some – "

"Hey!" Emmy slapped his arm. "Those are my brothers you're talking about. And stop eating my chicken fingers, they're mine."

With a snap of his fingers, the angel made a whole box of chicken fingers appear in his hands. Emmy's eyes widened as she reached for them but Gabriel playfully slapped her hand away. "Mine."

Emmy pouted.

The archangel tried to look away but failed, he gave in and let her eat some of his too. "I swear some humans have powers too."

"So, uhm," Emmy started, a little unsure. "You thought about the deal we made … in my dream?"

Gabriel sighed, licking the tips of his fingers. "I'm doing everything I can, pumpkin."

Emmy twisted her sock clad foot in the carpet. "Does that mean I get to see him?"

The angel took some time to answer. How was it that he couldn't say no that innocent face? How was it that he seemed to want to set foot in hell just to please some little human being? How was it that he seemed to want to bring all the stars closer for her just so she could admire their beauty more? How was it that he felt so connected to his father's creation?

"Yes, you'll see him."

Emmy threw herself at the angel, hugging him tightly around the waist. "Thank you," she choked out against his stomach, her voice thick with emotion. "Thank you _so_ much."

Gabriel's arms wrapped around her shoulders on their own accord. He felt her silent tears wet the front of his shirt causing him to embrace her harder. "Anything for you, Mary-Elisabeth."

 **SPN**

It was nearly 4 pm when Dean pulled up at the motel without his brother on his side. Sam was too busy 'babysitting' Madison since the Winchesters were pretty sure her ex-boyfriend Kurt was the possible suspect. Well, it would explain the mauled police officer they found near Kurt's apartment and the fact that Madison confirmed his strange behavior.

" _Dean, always with the scissors,"_ Dean mocked his brother as he closed the car door. It did kinda frustrate him that Sam was the one spending the night with a gorgeous woman who happened to be single _and_ alone. But the longer the oldest Winchester thought about it, the less it bothered him. Sam could use some female company, Dean couldn't even remember the last time he saw his brother together with a woman …

Sighing, he grabbed the key to the room and decided to go check on the only girl he'll ever need. Relief washed over him when he found the door was still locked as he had ordered his sister. The lights were off, except for the television illuminating the room. Emmy's finished homework was on the table and Dean was glad to find the box with the chicken fingers empty.

He found his little sister fast asleep on the couch, her body in a weird and uncomfortable position. Johnny the teddy bear was tucked under her chin, it's ears muffling Emmy's soft snores. Her hair was in disarray, loosely tangled around her neck and shoulders. Dean noticed that it had grown longer in the past few months. _Good,_ he thought, hoping she wouldn't ask for another haircut anytime soon. He liked it longer, it reminded him of the only woman he ever loved.

Dean removed his jacket before he started for the couch. Slipping his arms under his sister, he carefully picked her up. Emmy made a soft noise, her freckled button nose twitching causing Dean to smile fondly. He put her in his bed, tucking her in when her hand lifted up, the tips of her little fingers lazily grazing his stubbled cheek.

"D'ddy?" she moaned sleepily.

Dean froze, unable to talk or move, let alone breathe. He didn't know how long he sat there like a statue until Emmy mumbled something unintelligible as she turned over. Dean swallowed down the lump in his throat. The invisible scars and wounds he always carried around were pulsing but he was quick to push them down before they could ever get the upper hand. It hurt for her to call him that because he wasn't her daddy, he never will be, even if he was more of a father figure to her than a brother. But it hurt more because the realization of her _not ever_ being able to call someone daddy was unfair and tragic. Lately, it seemed like those two words defined the ten year old's life.

Leaning down, Dean brushed his sister's hair aside, planting a lingering kiss on her forehead.

 **SPN**

An hour later, Emmy woke up from her nap, hearing Dean's voice talking through the phone.

"Let me guess," he smirked as he placed his feet on the table, leaning backwards on his chair. "You're sitting on her couch like a stiff, trying to think of something to say."

" _Did you find Kurt?"_

Dean was a little disappointed his brother didn't react on his comment. "No, he hasn't been at work all week. But because I'm good, and I mean really, really good, I got a line on where he might be." He grinned, wetting his lips. "What's she wearing?"

" _Bye, Dean."_

"Oh, Sammy," he chuckled as he heard the familiar beeping sound. He got back to his feet and noticed his sister had woken up. "Glad you joined the land of the living, cutie pie!"

"Hey," she yawned with only one eye open while her fist was too busy rubbing the other.

"Did you sleep okay?" He asked, hoping she would be in a better mood than several hours ago.

"Yeah," she answered with a hint of a smile on her lips.

Dean raised a single eyebrow. "Let me guess, you dreamed of swimming in a sea full of chocolate with clouds of cotton candy and flying unicorns pooping rainbows."

Emmy couldn't help but giggle at that, bringing a smile to Dean's face. At least she was in a better mood, that was a good sign. He plopped down next to her, making the bedsprings squeak under his weight. He ran a hand through her bedhair, trying to tame the bangs. "So what did you dream about?"

Looking down at her hands in her lap, Emmy recalled the dream. It was her sitting on top of some mountain with a beautiful view to admire and her father sitting right next to her. She remembered how they didn't talk in her dream but she felt his presence. It made her feel warm, safe and protected. Emmy couldn't wait to see John, she had so much to say, so many thing she wanted to ask him. She wished she could tell her brothers about it but she promised Gabriel, her lips were sealed.

"I dreamt about Dad," she finally said, the smile still lingering on her lips as if the memory was still fresh in her mind.

Dean didn't know what to say right away.

"It was the first time I dreamt about him without it turning into a nightmare," she told him.

"That – that's good," were the only words coming out of her brother's mouth. Dean didn't know what to make out if it – yes, he was glad she wasn't plagued by nightmares anymore, but seeing her happy over someone who was nothing to her, was like a knife stabbing him over and over again.

"Hey, where's Sammy?" she suddenly noticed, bringing Dean out of his train of thoughts.

"Oh, he's at Madison's." He wiggled his eyebrows.

Emmy pushed his face away. "You're disgusting."

 **SPN**

Emmy stuck out her tongue as she concentrated on painting her nails with some new purple nail polish. She was currently in the Impala with Dean, staking out Kurt's apartment, waiting for him to come home so her brother could catch him. The sun was already setting and it was getting darker outside.

"I wonder if Sammy and Madison are getting along," she wondered out loud.

"I wonder if the toxic smell is lethal," Dean countered, pulling the collar of his shirt over his mouth and nose. He had already rolled down all the windows in the car, even going so far at threatening Emmy if she even spilled a drop of that nail polish on his upholstery, she'll forever be banned from the front seat.

"Stop being a wuss." Emmy rolled her eyes. "But seriously though, I haven't seen Sammy being this interested in a girl since Sarah."

"Yeah, don't get your hopes up, sweetheart," he said, still not understanding how Emmy could stand the smell.

"It's too bad, Sammy deserves so much better," Emmy sighed. "It seems like luck is never on his side when it comes to love. First Jessica, then Sarah and now Madison who we'll probably leave as soon as you guys wrap this up."

"What can I say, us Winchester men are just cursed. I believe it's our devilish looks," he winked. "We're not really known for sticking with the opposite sex, well except for you of course."

"Yeah, that's cause I have no other choice," she snorted.

"Aw, you just love us too damn much," he grinned, pinching her dimpled cheek.

"Dean, stop," she grumbled, leaning away so he could stop squeezing her cheeks. She accidently moved too hard causing the brush to miss her nail, instead it left some nail polish on her toe. "Oh, look what you did!"

"Lemme see." Dean grabbed her tiny foot, tickling the toes instead.

"No, _no, no!_ Dean, don't," she laughed, trying to pull her foot away. "Stop it or I'll spill everything on your baby," she warned, still giggling and trying to escape his grasp when she caught a familiar face out of Dean's window.

MJ was staring at her with that custom smile of hers. The night matched her hair and eyes, and Emmy wondered how she could even see her standing there in the darkness. She wished she could reach out to her but remembered Gabriel's words. _Just ignore her_. That was easier said than done when the girl was literally right there, glaring holes in her face. Emmy tried to avoid eye contact but she could literally feel those dark orbs on her, it was disturbing.

Dean snapped his fingers in front of her face. "Emmy!"

She blinked, realizing her brother had long released her foot as he was trying to get her attention now.

"You kinda zoned out there," he said, not concealing the worry lacing his voice. "You okay, baby?"

Emmy brushed off his hand on her forehead. "Yeah, I'm fine. I was just – it's nothing, it's stupid."

"You sure?" Dean pushed, no one could read his sister better than him and he could sense there was something more. He noticed her throwing glances behind him so he turned around to look through his window but found nothing out of the ordinary. He sighed and faced her again. "Is this about MJ again?"

Emmy didn't look up from cleaning her toe. "What? No – of course not, it's got nothing to do with it, absolutely nothing."

"Do I look stupid to you or something?"

"Well, that's debatable," she smirked.

"Haha," he laughed dryly. "But seriously, you know you can tell me anything, right?"

Emmy looked away. "Yeah, I know."

"I know the other day you said you didn't trust us anymore but I don't want you to think that you can't confide in us. You're still our baby sister, there's nothing we wouldn't do for you." And Dean meant it, he loved her and it terrified him. It terrified him what he would do for her. She could break his heart in tiny little pieces, and he'd still pick them up and put them back in her hands.

Emmy could still feel her brother's eyes on her but decided not to cave in. If she told him about Gabriel and the deal they made together to see her Dad, or how MJ was a stalker who was bad news, there was no telling what Dean would do. If her brothers could keep secrets from her, than so could she.

"I know," was the only she thing could say.

"Listen – " Dean started.

"Is that Kurt?" Emmy suddenly interrupted.

A man was seen entering the house. The lights turned on and Dean got his gun ready. "You stay here, call Sam and tell him I found our cujo." Emmy was given no chance to intercept as her brother closed the door. "Lock it," he ordered her as he started for the house.

Emmy pushed the locks down and sighed. She cleaned up the nail polish, leaning up her feet on the dashboard for her nails to dry after texting Sam. Emmy was so absorbed with keeping an eye on the house, she nearly jumped out of her skin when MJ appeared in front of her.

"Hey!" The girl laughed, motioning for Emmy to open the door.

Swallowing hard, Emmy shook her head. "I can't, it's locked," she lied.

"Well then roll down the window," she said instead, the smile never leaving her face.

Emmy knew she didn't have an excuse for that one. _Stay away from her, she's bad news,_ Gabriel's voice rang in her head. But not thinking clearly, Emmy figured nothing could happen if she rolled it down a little, she was still in the car so if anything happens, she was safe.

MJ waited for her to roll down the window, even if it was only several inches, she didn't seem to complain. "I've been looking for you everywhere! I feel like you're avoiding me, is there something wrong?"

Her sweet voice didn't bode well with Emmy, especially when her eyes were practically spewing fire. "I – I wasn't sure it was you and you kept disappearing on me," she stammered. "Who are you?"

"Yeah, you can blame that on your guardian angel, he pisses me off." MJ's smile never faltered but she looked anything but innocent.

Emmy gaped. "Wait, you _know_ about Gabriel?" That's when it suddenly dawned on her. Who are you was the wrong question to ask. " _What_ are you?"

MJ giggled, it sounded so out of place – the voice matched her childish face but not her demeanor. "Funny, I find myself asking the same thing." She pushed her hand through the crack of the window. Emmy wished she could move but found herself paralyzed as the girl's fingers traced something around her.

"What – what do you see?" Emmy asked. She remembered Meg and Maggie giving her that same look, as if they could see something she couldn't.

"It's, it's mesmerizing," MJ whispered. She slowly twirled her finger as if she had a hold on something. "It's alluring …"

"Whoa!" Emmy pulled away when MJ grew too 'touchy'. "What do you want from me?"

MJ blinked, looking like she came out of a trance. "I don't want anything from you."

"Then why the hell do you keep following me!" she demanded, her patience gradually running out.

"Because I was ordered by – " The girl never ended her sentence, her face suddenly hardened in anger. "Every. Single. Time," she muttered through gritted teeth. "I'll see you soon, Emmy," she winked and left.

"Wait!" Emmy got out of the car, not caring that she hadn't put her shoes on and ran towards MJ when someone suddenly appeared in front of her. Two strong hands grabbed her before she tumbled down. Emmy looked up at the man and growled in frustration.

"Didn't I tell you to stay away from her?" Gabriel reminded her with a stern voice.

Emmy craned her neck, trying to catch a glimpse of MJ but she was long gone, swallowed by the night. "Oh come on, I was this close to getting answers and you had to ruin it again!"

The angel released her, crossing his arms over his chest. "You mind your tongue with me, Mary-Elisabeth. Do I need to remind you who you're talking to?"

Emmy dropped her gaze, fidgeting under his glare. "I'm sorry."

"Listen," he dropped his hand on her shoulder, "I told you I got this all under control, trust me on this alright. You know I only have the best intentions when it comes to you, so I need you to let this one go and let me take care of this." When she didn't respond, he gave her a gentle squeeze. "You dig?"

"Yeah, I got it."

"Okay, while I'm off to catch that spawn, you might wanna check on your brother."

This time Emmy did look up. "What? You mean Dean, what happened?"

"I think he got knocked out," he said so casually. "Anyway, I'm off. Stay out of trouble, okay?"

Emmy didn't put any effort into responding as she had already made her way into Kurt's apartment. She didn't know which apartment was his but did find a bloody trail leading to a door with number 13. The door wasn't locked but slightly ajar. Emmy mustered up all her courage, taking a deep breath, and stepped inside. She flinched when she felt something sharp nicking her bare feet. There were pieces of glass littered all over the floor.

Her hand hovered over the wall, blindly searching for the light switch. When she found it, Emmy's eyes widened in horror. There right in the middle of the living room was a mauled body. Emmy assumed it was Kurt because her brother didn't have a beard. His shirt was torn into shreds, blood pooled around him and his body was covered in cuts and claw marks.

Emmy forced the bile down as she walked past him. She tried not to look at the body but still couldn't look away from his open, lifeless eyes. A shiver ran up her spine and Emmy pinched her eyes closed to get rid of the haunting image. Tears prickled her eyes as she slowly made her way into the kitchen where she found her brother lying on the tiled floor, unconscious.

Dropping to her knees next to Dean, she instantly shook his shoulders. "Dean! Dean, wake up!" She tapped his cheeks but got no response. Checking him over, she noticed he didn't look injured, except for the gash on his temple. Emmy knew head wounds always bled more than any other part of the body, so she forced herself not to panic. "Come on, Dean," her voice trembled as she took of her shirt, leaving her in a tank top, using it to stop the bleeding. She didn't realize she was crying until a tear fell onto her brother's face, trickling down his jaw. She sniffed, gently slapping his cheeks again when her brother suddenly groaned.

"Oh thank god," she cried.

"Emmy? What, what happened," he sounded disorientated, blinking repeatedly to clear his vision.

"I don't know, it seems like someone hit you in the head, knocking you out." She rubbed her face, wiping away the tears. "I thought you said Kurt was the werewolf."

Dean grunted as he tried to sit up and held Emmy's sweater against his head. "No, it wasn't Kurt. It was Madison."

Emmy gasped. "You sure? But that's impossible, Sammy's with her."

"Yeah, well he did an awesome job at keeping an eye on her." Using the kitchen counter for support, he finally got himself up. Emmy reached out when he swayed a little. That's when Dean realized something. "What are you doing here?"

"I – I, you were taking too long and I thought I'd check up on you," she sputtered, hoping he would believe her. "You're not allowed to give me one of your lectures Dean, I saved your life."

He scoffed, not wanting to admit that she was right. "Whatever." He looked down at her and noticed she was shivering from the cold. He shrugged out of his jacket, draping it over her since her sweater was stained with his blood. He took notice of her bare feet and the shards of glass on the floor. It reminded him of when Madison had jumped through the window after he had seen her mangling Kurt's body.

 _Oh god, Kurt's body._

Dean's jaw clenched as he visualized his sister witnessing the body, it would explain the lack of color in her face and her shaking. And people still wondered why he blamed himself for everything happening to her, he literally dragged her here. Without so much of a word, he lifted her up in his arms, hiding her face in the crook of his neck as if to hide the horrifying sight from her even though it was already too late.

 **SPN**

The next morning, Sam paced back and forth. The wheels were turning in his head, giving him a headache. He still couldn't wrap his mind around Madison being a werewolf. The last hours he spent with her, he learned so much about her, even grew to like her. There was something about her that called out to him. It has been a while since he opened up to a woman like that. She wasn't just out for his affection, she actually listened to him and gave him a good feeling. He briefly felt how it was to be normal again, she made him forget about the nightmare that was his life.

But he should have known that that was all his life would ever be. A nightmare.

"You're psychotic! The whole _I'm a cop_ trip – God, I am so stupid."

Sam stopped pacing, pinching the bridge of his nose. He wished for once he didn't have to be the one getting close to somebody only to find out that she was what he hunted. He didn't enjoy tying her up but no matter how hard he tried to deny it, all the evidence indicated that she was their werewolf all along.

"Well, I guess neither of us are who we said we were, huh?" He tried not to show his pain or the regret but his voice had failed on him.

"Sam, you're sick, okay? You're imagining things," Madison's voice was so soft and gentle, even her eyes showed no trace of a murderous monster and Sam briefly wondered if he was actually imagining things. "Monsters don't exist, not really."

But then he remembered his brother's phone call. How he had caught her murdering Kurt, how she had growled at him like an animal with claws and fangs. "You know what? Save the act."

"It's not an act!" She cried with tears rolling down her cheeks. "I am not a werewolf! There's no such thing! It's made up, all right? Th– they're not real! You know they're not real!"

"No?!" Sam took a step closer, pointing at the wound at her wrist, the one his brother had inflicted with his knife. "Then where did that come from?"

"I don't know! Sam, God, you need help," she sobbed pathetically. "Please, don't do something that you're gonna regret. I'm not what you think I am. I'm not."

Sam was torn. Torn between wanting to believe her and believing himself.

There was incessant knocking on the door and it offered Sam the distraction he needed. He opened the door and instantly felt a pair of arms snaking around his waist, hugging him tightly. He returned the hug, finding comfort in his sister's embrace. Dean had closed the door behind him and made his way over to where Madison was tied to a chair.

"How you doin'? My head feels great, thanks," he smiled sarcastically.

"We've gotta talk." Sam dragged his siblings into another room. "She says she has no idea what I'm talking about."

"She's lying," was Dean's instant reply.

"Or maybe she really doesn't know she's changing, you know?" Sam quickly interjected. "Maybe – maybe when the creature takes over, she blacks out."

"Like a really hot Incredible Hulk," Dean deadpanned. "Come on, dude, she ganked her boss and her ex-boyfriend. That doesn't sound rash and unconscious."

Emmy craned her neck to watch Madison in the other room. She couldn't see her murdering those men, hell she couldn't even imagine her being a werewolf. Maybe Sam was right. Madison seemed too innocent, too human. Emmy had seen real monsters and yet Madison didn't fit the bill.

"Yeah, but what if it was, Dean?" Sam insisted. "I mean, what if some animal part of her brain saw both those guys as threats? Hell, the cop, too."

Dean snorted in disbelief. "What are you, the Dog Whisperer now?"

"Look, man, I just…" Sam ran a nervous hand through his hair. "I don't know, there, there, there was something in her eyes."

"Yeah, she's killing people!" Dean was obviously losing his mind, why was it so hard to convince his brother?

"But if she has no control over it—"

"Exactly, she has no control. For some strange reason, she spared me, but Emmy was there, too. What if she had no control then? What if she attacked your baby sister, huh?" Dean confronted. "Even if she's telling the truth, it's not gonna change anything."

Sam shook his head, clearly at the end of his rope. "I'm not putting a bullet through some girl's chest who has no idea what's happening."

Dean's voice lowered. "Sam, she's a monster, and you're feeling sorry for her?"

"Maybe I understand her." Sam bit his lips. "Look, there might be another way we can get the job done without having to waste her."

It turned out that there was another way. According to their father's journal, lycanthropy might have a cure if you kill the werewolf who bit you, severing the bloodline. It turned out that Madison was bitten in the back of her neck when she was mugged not too far from Hunter's Point, the same place where the other murders happened.

Dean had once again taken it upon himself to check it out, hopefully catching the werewolf and bring an end to all of this madness. Emmy was currently sitting on the porch next to Sam, watching the full moon. Madison was still inside, tied up, and it made the youngest Winchester anxious that the woman could turn into a werewolf any minute. But Sam had assured her that the bonds were too strong, so she wouldn't be able to get out of the restraints.

"You okay?" she asked with a yawn. It had been two long and tiring days. First with MJ, then with Gabriel and now Madison. Emmy couldn't wait to get into the backseat of the Impala and leave this town.

"I'm okay," Sam answered, throwing an arm around her shoulders. "Are you? I heard you saw what Madison did to Kurt."

"Um, yeah. I just pretend it isn't real, you know. Like a horror movie or something."

"I'm really sorry you had to see that." Sam rubbed her arm, holding her closer. "You still seeing MJ?"

 _Yes._ "No."

"Well, that's good. I hope her folks found her by now."

Another comfortable silence settled between them as they watched the bright moon.

"Sammy, I know you're not okay," Emmy spoke up. "I can read you like a book and you're far from okay."

He chuckled humorlessly. "Can't remember the last time I was. So don't worry about it, honey."

But Emmy always worried about her brothers. Dean was somewhere off killing werewolves and Sam was obviously hurting.

"You'll find her one day," she said, snuggling closer to him.

"Find who?"

"The one."

There was a growl coming from inside, alerting the siblings. Entering the apartment they found Madison in the chair. Emmy hid behind her brother when she noticed Madison's nails grow, stretching into claws. Her eyes turned an electrifying bright blue as she bared her fangs. It suddenly went all too fast, Madison broke loose from the chair, lunging at them.

Sam pushed Emmy aside, grunting when Madison knocked him to the ground, knocking over the furniture. Emmy quickly got to her feet, almost tripping over the carpet, and went for her brother's duffel bag. Madison noticed and growled, her claws demolishing everything in her reach. Emmy hurried up, screaming when she suddenly came face to face with the werewolf. Luckily Sam had pushed Madison away, throwing her against the wall. He accepted the gun from Emmy, cocking it and aiming it at Madison.

Madison bared her fangs as she got back to her feet. Emmy ran to open the bedroom door, signaling her brother to lure her in. Sam got the message and moved towards the bedroom door causing Madison to follow him. The werewolf let out an animalistic growl as it went to attack Sam but he jumped away last minute, forcing her into the bedroom. He locked the door but knew that wasn't going to hold it.

"Emmy, quick help me move this."

Emmy didn't hesitate and helped him push the entertainment center in front of the door, trapping her inside.

The two stepped back, panting and watching the door budge as Madison repeatedly threw herself against it. It took several hours before she finally calmed down.

Sam had been sitting on the couch with Emmy's head in his lap. He was absently stroking her hair as she slept, never taking his eyes off the door. They were surrounded by broken pieces of furniture and claw marks on every surface. The sun was rising by now, the moon long gone. He carefully shoved a pillow under Emmy's head as he stood up. He opened the door, finding Madison on her bed, just waking up. She looked confused.

"It should be over now," he said. He walked back into the living room, picking Emmy up and left without so much of a goodbye.

 **SPN**

Madison had turned again.

Emmy had hoped it was all over but she should've known they were never that lucky. That night Sam stayed to make sure she wouldn't turn again, although Emmy had her suspicions he stayed for another reason, that is if she remembered the sly looks Dean had been given him. But as their sister, Emmy instantly got rid out of that thought before she risked throwing up. Anyway Dean had taken her out for some ice-cream, said she deserved it after everything they'd been through. It was one of those nights where they could pretend everything was normal, no werewolves on the loose, no stalking girl, no controlling angel. It felt great but at the same time it wasn't, as if they knew something was soon going to put an end to this. And they were right. At midnight, Sam had called with the news.

Madison had turned again.

"I don't remember anything. I probably killed someone last night. Didn't I?"

Emmy studied the woman in front of her, trying to look past the panic, wanting to know if she was telling the truth or not because Emmy was slowly getting sick of this. They should've left already, put all of this behind them, yet she found herself at Madison's apartment once again. She tried to listen to their conversation, but all Emmy could think of was how only twenty four hours ago, the same woman standing in the middle of the room, bared her fangs and growled at her.

Dean sighed. "There's no way to know yet."

Madison looked between the brothers, desperate. "Is there something else we can try to make it go away?"

"We'll find something," Sam reassured her, because that's what he always does. "I mean, there's gotta be some answer, somewhere."

"That's not entirely true," Dean admitted, not wanting to say it but it would be unfair if he lied. "Madison, you deserve to know. We've scoured every source. There's just no cure."

"Is – is he right?" she choked out.

Emmy wished she could offer Sam some comfort as he turned away, unable to face anyone.

"Well, we could lock you up at night, but … you bust out, and some night you will, someone else dies." Dean paused, letting everything sink in. "I'm sorry. I am."

Madison let out a shaky breath, no longer trying to stop the tears. "So, I guess that's all there is to it, then."

Any doubt Emmy had about Madison vanished. Why was it always the good people that went through this?

"Stop it," Sam whispered. "Don't talk like that."

"Sam, I don't wanna hurt anyone else. I don't wanna hurt you." With trembling hands, she picked up the gun and brought it to him.

Emmy shared a look with Dean, wanting him to do something even though she knew that there was nothing they could do.

"Put that down," Sam forced through gritted teeth, eyes glistening with unshed tears.

"I can't do it myself," she sobbed. "I need you to help me."

Sam shook his head. "Madison, no."

"Sam… I'm a monster."

"You don't have to be. We could find a way, all right? I can. I'm gonna save you," he promised and Emmy admired him for his courage and endless hope but even she came to terms that there was no other way.

"You tried," she cried harder. "I know you tried. But this is all there is left. Help me, Sam. I want you to do it. I want it to be you."

"I can't." Sam's voice was barely a whisper.

"I don't wanna die. I don't. But I can't live like this," she sobbed. "This is the way you can save me. Please. I'm asking you to save me."

Emmy hadn't realizing she was crying until she felt a hand grab hers, gently rubbing her knuckles.

Sam shook his head and left the room. Dean pulled Emmy along to join their brother. Emmy released his hand to hug Sam, she didn't know if it would work or if this would give him any consolation but it was all she had to offer at the moment.

"Sam, I'm sorry." Dean had taken the gun out of his brother's hand. Already stepping up to take care of the situation, because that's what big brothers do.

Sam cleared his throat, slightly shaking his head as if to compose himself. "No, you're right. She's right."

"Sammy, I got this one. I'll do it."

"She asked me to," Sam insisted. He gave Emmy a last squeeze before pulling away.

"You don't have to." Dean hated that look in his younger brother's eyes. Like he had to carry all the weight on his shoulders, while he was so used to being the one who did it.

"Yes, I do. Please." A tear trickled down his cheek. He held out his hand for the gun which Dean handed him reluctantly. "Just wait here."

Emmy watched as he closed the door but that didn't stop her from imagining what might be happening at the other side of it. Dean had grabbed her hand, taking her outside. As they walked down the steps, they suddenly hear a single gunshot, nailing them to the ground. Emmy had jumped from the sound, swearing for a moment her heart had stilled for seconds.

 **SPN**

Emmy was sitting on top of the monkey bars, balancing herself on one of the bars. From up there, she had view on the entire playground which was empty. All the kids were at school right now. On a bench a little further were her brothers, they were sitting with their backs facing her. They weren't talking, that much Emmy could see. Sam hadn't said anything when he came out of Madison's apartment. Emmy wanted to talk to him, comfort him but he didn't give any sign he wanted solace. Dean had said he probably needed some air and that's what had brought them here.

The young girl just wished Sam would get over this. She knew he will, he always did. It was sad to say but this wasn't the first time he got close to somebody only to have them taken away in a cruel way. But Sam was a Winchester dammit. Nothing could bring him down.

Emmy felt the monkey bars shake a little and looked down to see someone else climbing their way up.

"MJ? H-how did you find me?"

"Hiya! Easy, you're so damn bright, it's not hard to spot you," she smiled as she managed to sit on top of the railing.

Emmy would be lying if she said she wasn't nervous. She looked at her brothers, wishing they would turn around and see that she wasn't imagining everything, MJ was real and she was sitting right here next to her. Emmy opened her mouth, about to call her brothers when a hand slapped over mouth.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you."

Emmy slapped away the hand, leaning away from the girl. "What do you want from me?"

"I already told you, I don't want anything," she smiled menacingly. "I'm just here to deliver a message."

"A message? From who?"

MJ got on all fours, creeping closer to Emmy. "He says he's keeping an eye on you. Even if you're not seeing him anymore, he's always around, following every little move you make."

Emmy's mouth suddenly felt dry as she backed away from the girl. It was hard not to lose her balance on the monkey bars but MJ kept advancing.

"He says that feathery angel isn't gonna stop him from getting what belongs to him," MJ continued in a wicked tone. "He'll take what is his and nothing will stop him. And soon, soon this will all be over."

Emmy hadn't stopped moving backwards until one of her hands slipped off the railing. She had reached the edge, only a step away from falling. "Wh-who are you talking about?"

MJ chuckled. "Use that pretty head of yours, Mary-Elisabeth. Who do you think I'm talking about." And as she blinked, her brown eyes suddenly turned pitch black.

Gasping, Emmy lost her grip, tumbling down the monkey bars. She felt a painful crack in her ankle and a bump against her head and suddenly everything grew hazy. She could barely catch her brothers' voices as they called her name but they were too far away. The last thing she saw was MJ putting a finger to her lips before everything faded into black like the demon's eyes.

 ** _A/N: omg please don't hate me… I can't wait for school to be over because these last couple weeks were hell, like literally hell. Honestly I thought I was gonna drown with all those tests and exams and projects and ugh, it's horrible what they put us through. Anyway, I know I sound like a broken record, but sorry sorry sorry sorry for the long wait. I get all these messages of people asking me if I have forgotten about this story, but let me assure you that_** **if** ** _that ever happens, I'll make sure to let you guys know otherwise that would be cruel. So if you don't hear from me for such a long time, don't panic it's just school being a bitch really._**

 ** _Anyway, I missed you guys so frikkin much! Please review and let me know what you thought of this chapter, it wasn't an easy one, there was the original episode and I somehow had to fit in Emmy's story into it, so I hope that worked out. Let me know who you think MJ was thinking about …. Or if you have any other feedback, I'm all ears :)_**

 ** _THANK YOU for all those lovely reviews, favorites and follows. Every time I receive a notification I just smile like crazy, so keep those coming!_**

 ** _Love you XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_**

 ** _Ps: check my tumblr_** ** _mayremmy_** ** _for some pics ;)_**


	17. Author's note

Hey beautiful people! I know I haven't been updating these past few months. Just wanted to let you know that I'm still alive and I haven't given up on Emmy. I'm just dealing with lots of stuff lately:  
\- I lost my grandfather and a really good friend of mine  
\- My boyfriend is moving to the other side of the world  
\- College is being a bitch as usual

Anyway I feel like I have to sort things out first and get my life back on track. I tried to distract myself by writing but I find it hard to focus without letting my mind wander. Whenever I feel like continuing my stories, all these thoughts come back and ruin my mood. I hope this dark and depressive fase will end soon so I can get back to writing and making you guys happy again :)

I really hope you guys will forgive me for this long wait. I know it's no fun, and I apologize from the bottom of my heart...

Also thanks for your continued support! I hope to get back as soon as possible, so stay tuned Xxxx


	18. Hollywood Babylon

**Disclaimer: Supernatural doesn't belong to me. I only own my OC Mary-Elisabeth "Emmy" Winchester.**

 ******* FOR BEING SO PATIENT AND SWEET, YOU GUYS DESERVE A LITTLE TREAT! READ A/N AT THE BOTTOM TO FIND OUT! *******

Sam watched as the leaves flew midair, carried away by the autumn wind, wishing he could close his eyes and be swept away too. But every time he did, he saw those brown eyes glistening with sorrow and agony, begging him to put an end to all of her misery. Sam remembered staring at Madison's eyes and feeling as if he was merely looking in the mirror. For a brief moment, he knew exactly how she felt, he could taste the familiar pain. She just wanted to escape, leave this world because she believed it was better off without her. And Sam was jealous because he wanted to join her, he didn't feel like having a purpose either. The world wouldn't end with one less hunter. But his siblings' lives would.

The middle Winchester looked down at his feet, catching a glimpse of his older brother's boots. They were sitting on the bench together, yet he felt like he still got some space for himself and his thoughts. Sam could feel how Dean reached out to him multiple times, mentally. But Sam had nothing to say and nothing could be said to justify what he did. He killed a human being. He didn't care about her being a werewolf, she was still a living person to him. Madison only had good intentions, she didn't want to harm anyone, she even felt guilty for what she did. That's why Sam didn't consider her as a monster. A monster wouldn't cry and beg him to end her own life for the sake of other people.

When John taught his sons about the family business, it seemed so simple, so black and white. But it wasn't. There was a very thin line between humans and monsters, it was easy to mistake what was what. Sam wondered why their father didn't teach them the difference instead of teaching when to use a drop point or a spear point knife.

The wind brushed his bangs against his eyes and Sam felt a sudden cold shiver shaking him. His senses tingled for some unexplainable reason. Something was wrong. He turned his head, glancing at Dean who sat next to him, hands hanging between his legs and head ducked down. Dean caught his eyes and sat up with a questioning look.

 _What's wrong?_ Dean communicated with his eyes instantly picking up on his brother's alert posture.

"I don't know," Sam started to say when he suddenly heard a cry.

Both brothers turned around in time to see Emmy falling down from the monkey bars, her head bumped against the railing and broke her fall, before she painfully landed on the sand.

"EMMY!" Dean cursed, not realizing his body had jumped into action until he had reached her. He instantly cradled her body, his heart hammering against his chest when he noticed her eyes were closed. "Come on baby," he gently tapped her cheeks, trying not to let his panic get the upper hand.

Sam split his attention between his sister who was in safe hands and the black-haired girl who effortlessly jumped off the monkey bars. He gasped. "Y-you're Mary-Jane." He couldn't believe his sister was right all this time, he would be lying if he said he didn't for a moment think Emmy was imagining things, yet there was MJ, standing in front of them with a smug smile.

"It's MJ," she told him with a monotone voice.

"The same missing girl from Utah?"

"In the flesh," she commented with no single emotion.

Sam shared a quick glance with his brother who was still trying to wake up their sister. It didn't take rocket science to know something was off with the girl. She set off enough alarm bells to prevent Sam from going to his sister, he needed to keep his eyes on this one.

"Check her pulse and pupils," Sam told Dean, never taking his eyes off of MJ.

Dean did as he was told. "It's normal," he breathed in relief.

Emmy squirmed, moaning something unintelligible. Dean instantly looked down, holding her up a little. His hand cupped the back of her head and she winced when he grazed a growing bump. "I'm sorry, sweetheart," he apologized, still coaxing her to open those pretty eyes of hers, knowing his heart wouldn't be still until he saw those blue orbs. She blinked, whimpering when she tried to move.

"Shhh, take it easy, Emmy," Dean told her softly. He didn't want her to move too much, not knowing if she sprained or broke anything. She didn't land on both feet and he knew she had to have gotten hurt.

"She up?" Sam asked, still not looking away from MJ who looked bored out of her mind.

"Yeah," Dean answered, brushing blonde strands of hair from his sister's face, his lips pressing against her temple to reassure himself that she was going to be okay. "Take it easy, baby, easy."

Emmy took a ragged breath, that fall literally knocked the air out of her lungs and she had a hard time taking slow breaths. She was drowsy, her head throbbed. Is this what it felt like to get knocked out? How did her brothers deal with this on a daily basis? Her entire body was pulsing painfully. She couldn't pinpoint where the pain was coming from, not with the adrenaline still pumping through her veins. She tried to sit a up a little with the help of her brother who refused to let her go, that's when she noticed the girl.

The youngest Winchester drew a sharp breath, terror started squeezing at her again like a hand gripping around her throat in an attempt to cut off her airways.

Still sitting on the sand with his sister in his lap, Dean instantly felt her back taking irregular breaths against his chest. Emmy's trembling hands were clutching at her brother's arms as she started to wheeze. Sam followed his sister's eyes as they landed on MJ, Emmy looked more than scared, she was petrified.

"It's h-her, sh-she's t-the one, sh-she's the one that – I-I s-saw her, I s-swear I – "

"Emmy, baby, hey," Dean gently cupped her chin, turning her head towards his, trying to calm her down, "It's okay, just breathe for me, sweetheart, can you do that?"

She tried to jerk her head away from his clasp, not wanting to lose the girl out of her sight but in vain. "B-but, i-it's not her, she she –she, i-it's – "

"Emmy," Sam cooed as he knelt next to her, preventing her from working herself over. He never lost his guard on the girl and intentionally kept his body between his siblings and MJ. "We got you, you'll be alright."

Emmy let out an aggravated sob. "No! Y-you don't understand, it's MJ!"

"We know," Sam sighed, throwing a glance at MJ who was still standing passive and stoic. He almost tumbled over when Emmy grabbed his arm, pulling him back, demanding his attention.

His sister's heart-shaped face was covered in a thin sheen of sweat, her bangs plastered against her forehead. Her skin was pale and her lips were trembling as she whispered, "I-it's not her."

The brothers' eyes widened as they both turned to watch MJ. She stood there uninterested, thinking it was more important to get rid of the sand sticking to her skirt.

Emmy cleared her throat. " _Cristo."_

MJ stopped flicking away the dirt from her clothes as she slowly looked up at Emmy, the first time she even acknowledged the Winchester since she pushed her off the monkey bars.

Emmy gulped. "Cristo," she said again, louder and steadier.

MJ's eyes turned black and Sam was up in a second, shielding his siblings. Dean's jaw ticked as he drew his sister closer in his protective hold. Emmy had to refrain from whimpering in pain, her ribs were killing her.

"Who are you?" Sam demanded, his hand trailing behind his back.

MJ flicked some hair over her shoulder. "You know who I am."

"I meant, _what_ are you. Who sent you. What do you want," he snapped, finally getting a hold on the gun tucked in the back of his pants.

The eleven year old snorted. "One question at a time, Winchester. I'm just a run off the mill demon, using this vessel to deliver a message from the man downstairs."

"What message?" Dean growled, suddenly seeing past the innocent girl to the vicious black eyed bitch that was talking.

MJ smirked, the first emotion she showed. "Ask your little _sister_."

Sam and Dean didn't miss how she put emphasis on the last word. She knew, the demon knew.

"Anyway, I'm sorry about the mild concussion, broken ankle and fractured rib," she added offhandedly. "I would say I didn't mean it, but who would I be kidding. I get high on torturing broken souls."

Sam drew out his gun, pointing it at the demon. He suddenly prayed to whoever was listening to hide them from any passersby. He realized it would be a suspicious sight if anyone caught them right now.

MJ rolled her eyes. "Oh please, like you're gonna hurt this cute, little package. Don't bother, I'm leaving anyway. Can't stand this little bitch whining a second longer."

With that the possessed girl dropped to her knees, her head rolled back as black smoke left through her mouth. She collapsed, coughing and blabbering nonsense at the same time.

Sam cursed under his breath before tucking the gun back in his pants. He moved towards the girl but she instantly cowered, her entire body shaking as she sobbed. She was scared to death.

"It's okay, MJ. I'm not gonna hurt you," Sam promised gently.

Eyes darted around her, eyes wide and frightened. "W-where am I? I-I wanna go home, I-I wanna go home," she cried.

"I'll take you back home, your parents are looking for you as we speak. You want me to bring you back?" Sam approached her carefully.

Emmy noticed her eyeing her big brother with wariness and doubt. She couldn't blame her, she couldn't even begin to imagine how it was to be possessed, having someone use your body for unspeakable purposes.

"You can trust him," Emmy told her with a strained smile. She now felt the adrenaline seeping away, reminding her again where the pain was taunting her.

MJ noticed Emmy for the first time and fresh tears started rolling down her cheeks again. "I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to h-hurt you, I really didn't – "

"It's okay, I know it wasn't you," Emmy offered another forced smile.

MJ swallowed hard, wiping at her eyes. She give Emmy a last meaningful look before taking a hesitant step closer to Sam.

"I'll take her to the nearest police station, you take Emmy to the hospital," he ordered.

Dean nodded, already moving to stand up. Emmy clenched her teeth when she felt her ribs protest at the movement.

"No hospital," she shook her head. "I probably just sprained my ankle, it's nothing."

Dean paid no mind to her wishes, he'd be the one deciding what kind of help she needed. His face was serious, all business. "Which ankle?"

"Uh, I don't know," she lied, trying to play this down. Emmy saw him reaching for her right foot and made the mistake of drawing her leg up. She let out a cry of pain.

Dean gave her a disapproving look and gently grabbed her right foot. He untied her shoelaces, carefully taking off her sneaker. Emmy tensed, pinching her eyes closed as he rolled her sock down. The bone was sticking out in an odd way and the swelling was starting. Normally he would put the bone back but Dean was experienced enough to know that the bone had broken, there was nothing he could do about it.

"I'm gonna be sick," Emmy mumbled, suddenly feeling her stomach turn at the gruesome sight.

Dean put the sock back in place before moving closer to her. "Where else did you get hurt, MJ said something about your ribs."

Emmy's mouth felt dry, her tongue sticking to the roof of her mouth. "She was lying."

Dean sighed and put his face close to hers. " _You_ stop lying, Mary-Elisabeth."

Emmy was a little taken aback by his firm tone. It seemed like only a moment ago her brother was being the typical mother hen but now, now he reminded her of her father. She hadn't decided which one she liked more.

"This side," she muttered, pointing at her right side.

Without another word, Dean slipped his hands under her shirt, his fingers gently prodding to feel for any broken ribs. His hands felt cold against her feverish skin and it was kinda soothing until he brushed against the bruised ribs. She couldn't help but whimper in pain before biting her lip shut.

"It's not broken," Dean confirmed, pulling her shirt back down. "How about your head?" He didn't wait for her to answer and already ran his hand over her scalp, moving some hair aside.

"Ow," she winced when he touched the bump.

Dean pulled away, wiping his hands on his jeans but not before Emmy noticed the blood tinging his fingers. She swallowed hard, feeling her stomach churn again.

"Let's go," Dean told her, putting his hands under her arms and slowly pulled her up.

Emmy squeezed her eyes shut, feeling all her limbs and bones protest but she forcefully blinked the tears back. She found her balance on one foot, using her brother's arm for support.

"See, it's not that bad," she smiled unconvincingly. "There's really no need to go to the hospital."

Dean's stern expression didn't falter. Who was she trying to fool? Anyone could see the girl was in pain, especially her brothers, especially _Dean._ The man used to determine if she needed to be changed, fed or put to bed just by listening to her crying. He probably knew her better than she did.

Emmy knew she lost the battle when he picked her up, one arm under her bottom, and the other around her back. Emmy accepted her destiny and rested her own arms around his neck, leaning her head on his shoulder, nuzzling her face against the crook of his neck.

The car ride was silent, the tension was so palpable, Emmy could taste it, making her sick all over again. Dean hadn't uttered a word to her, his eyes were glued to the road as he hastily drove to the hospital. Emmy was sitting in the front with her broken angle lying on his lap. One of his hands were clasped around her leg, the other gripping the steering wheel, knuckles white as if he was strangling someone. She didn't miss how his teeth were clenched, his eyes blazing with something so akin to fire she was momentarily glad he wasn't looking at her, she would for sure burn.

Emmy wanted to sit up straighter but didn't dare to move. The pain in her ankle was still throbbing but it was getting more bearable as long as she didn't budge, maybe that's why Dean had held her leg still, preventing her from moving.

"Dean?" she asked quietly. When he didn't respond, she thought he might not have heard her so she tried again. "Dean?" Surely she was loud enough for him to hear, so either he suddenly turned deaf or he decided to ignore her. "Dean," she repeated again with more force but he still didn't answer.

Emmy felt the sting in her eyes, wanting to cry but forcing herself to suck it up. "Are you mad at me? Did I do something wrong?"

She lurched forward when Dean suddenly hit the brakes, pulling the car to the side. Emmy's hand held her side where she felt the pain from her ribs. She stared at her brother as he kept his gaze ahead, staring at something she couldn't see. They were sitting like that, immobile, for like a full minute until Dean broke the silence with a heavy sigh. He dragged his hand down his face, suddenly looking so much more exhausted and worn. He sniffed, his shoulders strained as he composed himself.

"I'm sorry," he said, not meeting her eyes.

Emmy frowned. "For what?"

He scoffed, humorlessly. "I promised him. I promised he'd never had to worry, that I would protect you with my life. I would never let anything happen to you, yet since he's gone I feel like life has been treating you like a punching bag. Challenging you to see how much you could take till it knocks you down and I swore to take those punches for you. But in the end it's always you getting hurt, it's always you carrying the scars and burdens." Dean bit his bottom lip, rubbing a hand over his mouth and chin. "It's just not fair, you know."

Emmy felt the lump in her throat grow. Her brother wasn't angry with her but with himself. Already beating himself up for something that was out of his control. "It's not your fault, Dean. I'm still alive and kicking, isn't that what you promised to Dad?"

"You call this _life_?" Dean snorted, his head hanging low as he shook it. "This isn't life, Emmy. This is a nightmare." And she was a an angel from heaven living hell on earth.

"Hey, I can take it. I'm a Winchester after all."

Dean looked at her for the first time since they had gotten in the car. He looked at her, really looked at her and the truth was balanced on the tip of his tongue. It just needed a little push but he swallowed the words down before they could escape his lips. Pain was the last thing she needed.

He reached over to tuck some hair behind her ear, his thumb brushing their mother's earring. "Yeah, you're a Winchester."

 _If only she knew._

Emmy dropped her gaze to her wringing hands in her lap after Dean had resumed driving. She noticed his demeanor was less tense and his shoulders were more relaxed. But the incessant tapping of his fingers on the steering wheel, the constantly biting the inside of his cheeks and the vein pulsing in his neck were still telltale signs of his worry. At least now he didn't ignore her or acted as if she had done something wrong, while he was angry at himself all along.

"Dean?"

"Yeah sweetheart." Dean instantly grew more worried at the small and timid voice. The way she said his name reminded him of all those times she called him when she was upset, or couldn't sleep, or was hurt. So his big brothers warning bell went off.

"I really don't wanna go to the hospital." Emmy would do anything to avoid hospitals, she even went as far as calling for Gabriel in her thoughts but got no answer. She wondered where her supposed 'guardian angel' was now that she really needed him.

Dean turned his head to watch her, trying to split his attention between the road and his little sister. "It's okay baby, they're only gonna take care of you. I won't leave you for a second." His words didn't seem to have reassured her. "Hey, I know our best memories weren't made in hospitals and – "

"Dad died in a hospital," she cut him off with a shaky voice. "You almost died _twice_ in a hospital. I didn't leave you two for a second either and yet there wasn't anything I could do." She sniffed, wiping her face with her sleeve.

Dean understood her fear and distaste for hospitals, hell he wasn't a big fan either. The building literally smelled like death and sickness. Hospitals never were good news in his family, yet he always made it his quest to keep at least one member of the family out of it. His sister should never have to set foot inside of a hospital but that was a challenge he already lost. So he made another promise which included that his sister will never be the one being treated in the hospital. So far, he lost that one, too.

"You're going in there, getting an awesome cast on your foot and then we're gonna get out of there _alive,"_ he promised as he brushed her leg with his thumb. "Together, cause I'm not going anywhere without you and neither are you."

 **SPN**

That night Emmy was lying in bed with her cast on Sam's lap as he drew some awesome designs. She had picked a simple white color so she could decorate it the way she wanted. She had emerged from the hospital with a cast around her broken ankle, some painkillers, an order to wake up every hour to make sure she didn't have a concussion, and a cold compression to help reduce the pain and swelling of her ribs. Emmy was still hopped up on different drugs and had to admit she didn't feel any pain yet, just a dull ache. But she was sure that the next morning would be a different story.

"So did MJ get home safely?" Emmy asked.

Sam grabbed a marker and helped her color her drawing. "Yeah, she's in good hands now."

"Will she be okay?" she wanted to know, hiding a yawn behind her hand.

"She will be, it'll take some time but she'll pull herself up," he reassured her with a smile.

"Here, drink this," Dean said as he handed her a glass of water. Since he knew how much she hated swallowing pills, he crushed them instead. "And then off to bed."

Emmy wiped her mouth with the back of her hand after emptying the glass. "I'm not tired," she denied, "and I haven't finished working on my cast yet."

"You'll have the next twelve weeks to work on it, sweetheart."

Emmy turned to her other brother when she knew she couldn't deceive Dean any longer. "Sammy?"

Sam shook his head as he watched her use those puppy dog eyes and pout. He invented that look, did she really expect it would work on him? He reached out to pinch her freckled button nose with a fond smile. "It's been a long day, honey, we're all tired. We'll finish this tomorrow, but you need to rest now."

Emmy blew out her cheeks, not hiding her discontentment. "Fine," she grumbled, crawling out of bed. She got to her feet – well, her good foot, and was about to limp to the bathroom when a set of hands around her waist pulled her back.

"Use your crutches," Dean ordered, shoving them under her armpits.

Emmy had to refrain from rolling her eyes. "I don't need those for taking literally ten steps across the room," she started to protest when Dean gave her that not-up-for-discussion-look. Sighing, she gave up.

Dean watched as she made her way to the bathroom, his eyes softening when she struggled a little, still needing to find the right technique to use those crutches. He felt a heavy, comforting hand on his shoulders giving him a squeeze.

"She'll be alright," Sam assured him.

"I know." He watched his brother get ready for bed too, and asked, "What about you?"

Sam turned his back on his brother as he pulled on a clean shirt. "I'm good as I'll ever be." He didn't want his brother to read his facial expression because truth was he didn't know if he'd be alright. Time would tell.

"I wanna sleep next to Sammy," Emmy announced as she made her way to the bed furthest from the door.

Sam quickly composed himself and shot her an affectionate smile. "No hogging the covers, okay."

Emmy let him pick her up, playfully but carefully throwing her on the bed. "Says the guy who uses _me_ as a cover." She laughed when he wriggled his fingers around her neck, eliciting a fit of giggles out of her.

"Emmy, you need some ice for your side?" Dean asked once the tickling was over.

"No, I'm okay," she answered, still trying to catch her breath.

He came over to her, tucking her in and kissing her cheek. "Good, we're gonna wake you every hour or so, just to make sure, alright?" She nodded and received another kiss.

Emmy caught him pulling on his jacket and frowned. "Were are you going? You leaving?"

"I just need something to clear my head," he said, throwing a quick, meaningful look at his brother who nodded quietly. "I'll be back before you know it."

She fiddled with a loose strand of hair and nodded faintly. She knew her brother needed to relieve some of his tension, weather it was booze, a game of poker or women, she didn't know, nor did she care. The only thing bothering her was that something was bothering _him_. She wished Dean would talk to them to clear his head instead of getting drunk in a nameless bar with some nameless chick on his arm.

Dean exchanged some quiet words with Sam before he winked at her with a fond smile. Emmy watched as the door closed while Sam got to work with the salt lines and devil trap under the carpet at the center of the room.

"Sammy?"

"Yeah, honey," he sounded distracted as he drew the trap with some chalk on the wooden floor.

"MJ said he was coming."

Sam's hand froze. He let out a long sigh before finishing the drawing. "She told me."

Emmy's eyebrows raised. "She did?"

He nodded as he stood back up, dusting his hands off on a handkerchief. "Not the demon, but the girl MJ. She said she remembered some stuff, it was all vague really, but she could recall what the demon told you before pushing you."

"You think she was talking about …" The name stuck in her throat, unable to find a way to come out.

But Sam didn't need to hear it out loud to know who they had in mind. _Azazel_. The root of their family problems, the reason he had to kill a woman and the reason his sister was wearing a cast. Had Azazel never interfered with his family, Sam wouldn't know where he would be right now.

"I'm scared," Emmy admitted with a small voice.

Sam crawled into bed next to her, wordlessly reaching out to envelop her in his strong arms. "Me too, baby, me too." He buried his face in her hair, taking in the smell of lavender and innocence. Sometimes he would close his eyes and pretend he was holding his mother. They smelled the same, felt soft and they both gave him the feeling of _home_. Home wasn't were the heart was – to Sam, home was wherever Emmy was, she was home.

"You think Mom and Dad are watching over us?" His sister wondered out loud, nuzzling his chest. "You think they'll protect us when things get bad?"

Emmy thought of Gabriel, the angel who was supposed to protect her. She had called him many times in her head, out loud when her brothers weren't there, she even occasionally whispered his name in the hope he would answer. But Gabriel never answered. Maybe he only ever showed up when her life was on the line, and not when she only suffered an injury. But then again, he did warn her about MJ, he knew she was a demon, then where was he when she pushed her off those monkey bars?

" _If_ things ever get bad," Sam corrected her, cutting off her train of thoughts. He gently ran his fingers through her hair while massaging her scalp. "I'm sure they're watching over us right now, and who knows, maybe they'll help us."

Sam knew he was just lying through his teeth, saying what his sister wanted to hear. But he couldn't deny he wanted to hear those words, too. He wished their parents were looking out for their children, making sure they made the right choices and kept them on the right path. Sam even wondered if Jessica was still there, somewhere. What would she think of him now? Would she still have loved him after all the things he'd done?

"I wanna go somewhere," Emmy mumbled sleepily, her eyes barely open. "Somewhere with a lot of sun, and a beach, and-and ice-cream."

Sam smiled, her hair tickling his lips. "When was the last time you even went to a beach?"

"I don't remember. But I dream of beaches all the time," she yawned, the words coming out slurred.

Sam planted two soft kisses on her temple. "We'll go to the beach if that's what you want."

Emmy smiled lazily, eyes already shut and halfway into dreamland. "Awesome."

"Go to sleep, honey," he whispered, stroking her hair.

"S'mmy, I'm reall' sorry 'bout what happen'd," she muttered.

"Yeah," he breathed through the growing lump in his throat, "I'm sorry too."

 **SPN**

Who would've known that soaking up the sun, feeling the warmth caressing your skin, the wind breeze through your hair, was all it took to bring your body and mind to a peaceful state. Emmy found herself relaxing at the pool of the motel they were currently staying at. At first she was upset she wasn't allowed to swim with her stupid cast on but soon found out that burning in the sun wasn't so bad either.

She couldn't remember the last time she ever felt this … _serene._ It's been a week since the attack and she hadn't gotten through a night without weird dreams. They weren't nightmares per se but they did leave her breathless and sweating whenever she woke up. Emmy couldn't piece those dreams together, they were too vague and _real,_ and yet they always left her memory before she could grasp them. She would open her eyes, panting, not knowing what she just dreamed, feeling hopeless and confused.

Nights weren't the only moments she couldn't clear her head, at day it was worse. Whenever she was alone with her thoughts, she got plagued with all these images flashing in front of her eyes. Blood, death, monsters, screaming, crying, doctors trying to resuscitate her father, Dean smashing the Impala, Sam killing Madison – and the memories went on and on and on. Sometimes Emmy wondered how much a human could take before collapsing, but then she would look at her brothers, wishing she'd be lucky enough to be as strong as they were. But even her big brothers who were her heroes had to have a limit, they would reach their breaking point one day … someday.

Emmy shook her head, trying not to think of it, she tried to block every thought, emotion and memory. She just wanted to be able to lie down, unburden her shoulders and pretend everything was alright – no angel that seemed to be awol, no demon who was out to get her, no parents who were out of the picture, no brother whose guilt was slowly eating himself up from the inside, no brother who felt he had to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders, no soul that attracted monsters in the dark, no nothing. Emmy just wanted to pretend she was no one, just for a moment, just for a little tiny moment …

 _"_ _Emmy."_

The ten year old sighed, _there goes my moment of peace._ "Yes."

" _Emmy."_

"What?"

" _Mary-Elisabeth."_

Groaning, she opened her eyes, using her elbows to sit up straighter in her chair. "I said _what!_ "

Emmy looked around, noticing that none of her brothers were there except for a young couple swimming in the pool, staring at her like she'd lost her mind.

" _Mary-Elisabeth,"_ the voice called again.

Taking a sharp take of breath, Emmy felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up, her skin prickled and she suddenly shivered even though it was hot outside.

The lady got out of the pool, using a towel to wrap around herself as she walked towards Emmy, concern written all over her face. "You seem spooked, are you alright, sweetie?"

Still confused about whether she was going mental or not, Emmy looked up at the dark skinned woman. "Did you hear that?"

The lady shook her head. "Hear what?"

" _Emmy."_

"That," she breathed, shaken.

"Maybe you've been under the sun for too long," a pair of honey eyes smiled at her. "Why don't you go inside, get yourself some water to drink."

Emmy rubbed at her forehead with a trembling hand. "Yeah, I probably should." Grabbing her crutches, she threw her legs to the side, moving to stand up.

"You need some help?" The woman reached out to gently hold her just above the elbow.

 _"_ _Mary-Elisabeth!"_

A sudden pain shot through Emmy's arm, causing her to flinch and take back a step.

"Whoa, easy," the lady reached out again but Emmy recoiled.

"I-I'm okay," she forced a tight-lipped smile. She just wanted to get away from the voice and the woman. Using her crutches to limp her way back to the motel room, Emmy didn't notice how the woman watched her with a smirk as dark as her black eyes.

 **SPN**

Closing the door with a kick of his foot, Dean entered their room balancing two coffees and bags of food in one hand while the other held some newspapers and magazines he picked up on the way.

"I still don't understand what we're doing here," he huffed as he put everything on the small table near the kitchen.

Sam who was sitting on his bed, legs stretched out in front of him, looked up from his laptop. "Dude, you wanted to come to L.A."

"Yeah, to give Emmy a break from all the crap we drag her through. To go on vacation – I mean, swimming pools and movie stars … not to work!" Dean shrugged out of his jacket, draping it over the back of one of the chairs. "I just figured that, you know, after everything that happened with ... Madison, you could use a little R-and-R, that's all."

Sam's gaze dropped back to his illuminating screen. "Well, maybe I wanna work, Dean. Maybe it keeps my mind off things."

"Okay, okay, all right," Dean relented. His muscles were tensed-up from sitting on his ass for too long. He was aching to get back into action again, his hunter senses tingling. He wouldn't admit it out loud, but a part of him was relieved his brother got them a case. It had been a week since the last hunt and Dean was craving to start moving again. The only reason he took it easy was for the sake of his sister. "So, this crew guy - what did he, he died on set?"

"Yeah, uh, rumors spreading like wildfire online. They're saying the set's haunted."

Dean's eyes widened briefly in excitement. "Like Poltergeist?"

Sam shrugged. "Could be a poltergeist."

"No, no, no. Like, the movie _Poltergeist,_ " he wetted his bottom lip, grinning. When Sam didn't seem to catch up, Dean's smile dropped in disappointment. "You know nothing of your cultural heritage, do you? It was rumored that the set of 'Poltergeist' was cursed. That they used real human bones as props. And, like, at least three of the actors died in it."

Sam held his brother's gaze for a full minute, trying to pick up on the enthusiasm but instead felt nothing and simply brushed it off. "Sure, it might be something like that."

 _Unbelievable,_ Dean mouthed. "All right, so this crew guy – what's his name?"

"Frank Jaffey," Sam said as he threw a quick glance out the window where he spotted his sister sitting at the pool.

"Frank Jaffey - he got a death certificate or a coroner's report or anything?" Dean asked as he started to set out the Styrofoam boxes of food on the table.

"Well, no. But, uh, it's LA, you know? It might not even be his real name. But the girl who found him, she said she saw something - a vanishing figure," Sam said, his fingers rapidly punching on the keyboard.

"What's the girl's name?"

Pushing his bangs from his eyes, Sam answered, "Uh, Tara Benchley?"

Dean lifted a french fry midair, inches away from his lips. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, Tara Benchley? From 'Fear dot Com' and 'Ghost Ship', Tara Benchley? Dude, why didn't you say so?'

Sam rolled his eyes. "So now you're suddenly on board?"

Dean threw the fries unceremoniously in his mouth, trying to play it cool. "Oh, I just - I mean, I'm a fan of her work. It's very good."

Sam wasn't convinced. He bet his brother couldn't even tell what the movies were about, he probably only had eyes for one thing _._

Dean unwrapped his burger when he suddenly noticed that someone was missing. "Hey, where's Emmy?"

"Pool," was Sam's offhanded response as he typed away on his computer.

Dean stared at his brother. "Alone?"

"Relax, I'm keeping an eye on her."

"Dude, you can't just let her wander around unsupervised!" Dean jumped out of his chair. "Not when she's on a demon's most wanted list."

"Will you calm down for a sec." Sam closed his computer with a sigh. It was so typical Dean to overreact and assume the worst, especially when it came down to Emmy. "I'm not letting her wander around, she's literally right there – " Sam's mouth suddenly felt dry when he noticed the empty chair, he could've sworn she was just sitting there a minute ago. " _Oh crap._ "

Dean pushed his brother aside, taking a look outside. The pool was empty except for a young couple swimming, but no Emmy. "Sonuvabitch."

"She couldn't have gone that far with the cast, Dean. If anything had happened we would've noticed," Sam tried to reassure his brother but to no avail.

Not more than a second later and Dean already found himself out of the room, roaming the hallways. His heart was beating rapidly against his chest, the adrenaline pumping through his veins, his palms sweating. He tried not to think of the worst case scenario but realized that everything happening in his life had always been a worst case scenario. But not with Emmy, never Emmy he tried to reassure himself. He rounded another corner, suddenly bumping against someone.

"Ouch," Emmy hissed, sprawled out on the floor.

"Emmy!" Dean instantly reached out, helping her get back up. "Where the hell have you been?"

The young girl flinched a little from his sharp tone as she adjusted her crutches. "The pool? I told Sammy – "

"Don't ever do that again," he told her sternly.

Emmy was confused. "Do what?"

"Disappear on us!"

"What are you talking about? I didn't disappear, I was only making my way back to the room." It's then that she noticed her brother pinching the bridge of his nose, his jaw strained and his hands lightly trembling. "Dean, you alright?"

He sniffed, composing himself. "Yeah, you just gave us a scare that's all." He smiled to assure her everything was okay but Emmy knew that he was far from okay. "What about you? You alright? You didn't get hurt, did you."

"Well, my ass hurts now thanks to you." That earned her a light swat to her bottom. "Ouch! _Butt_ , I meant butt."

Dean smirked. "Better."

He helped her get back to the room where Sam was standing with a phone pressed against his ear, calling the reception. Once he noticed his sister, he instantly hung up. "You could've told me you found her," he told his brother before eying Emmy. "Where've you been? Didn't I tell you to call me to get you?"

"I forgot." Emmy sat on one of the chairs Dean pulled out for her, dropping her crutches on the floor.

Sam playfully tugged at her pigtails. "Well next time don't or Dean's gonna have a stroke."

"You're funny Sam," Dean deadpanned.

The middle Winchester chuckled as he took a seat next to his sister. "But all jokes aside, you need to be more careful, honey. We can't take any risks."

"Yeah, yeah." Emmy chewed on her chicken nugget.

"Hey, what's that on your arm?" Dean pointed just above her right elbow.

Sam gently turned Emmy's arm, looking at the reddened skin. It looked like some type of rash, yet when he brushed his thumb over it, Sam didn't feel anything out of the ordinary.

"You been eating strawberries again?" he asked.

Emmy shrugged. "Not that I know of." She could've sworn there was nothing the last time she checked. "Maybe it's just a sunburn."

That's when Dean noticed all the exposed skin, too much skin in his opinion. His baby sister was wearing a pair of shorts that where way too short and a tank top that seemed to be too small, only reaching her navel. "Emmy, where are your clothes?" he demanded.

Emmy looked down, frowning. "Uh, I'm wearing them."

"Apparently not all of 'em, where's the rest?" Dean's burger lay abandoned on the table, which meant he either lost his appetite – which seemed highly unlikely – or this was bothering him more than he was letting on.

Emmy shared a look with Sam before sighing. "How am I supposed to get a tan when I'm covered from head to toe?"

"A tan?" Dean sputtered as if the idea alone was ridiculous.

"Dude, it's not like she's naked or anything," Sam intervened. "And she was at the pool, that's kinda the dress code."

Dean picked up his hamburger again, lifting one finger to point at Emmy. "You're not leaving the room dressed like that again." It wasn't even a suggestion, it was just a decision he made without paying attention to anyone else's opinion. Something about that didn't bode well with Emmy.

"You can't tell me what to wear."

"Oh, yes I can, sweetheart." Dean took a huge bite of his burger. "Deal with it," he added in a muffled tone.

"I'll wear whatever I want," she declared with arms crossed.

"Hmm," he dismissed.

"That's not fair!" Emmy turned towards Sam. "Sammy!"

Sam let out a long breath. Why did he always get caught in the middle? "Dean, lay off. She's ten."

"She won't be in a few years," he reasoned. "It's called prevention."

"It's called idiocity," she shot back.

Sam squinted in thought. "Pretty sure that's not a word."

Emmy punched her brother's arm. "You're supposed to help me, Sammy!"

"Let's make a deal," Dean started, "you wear whatever you want as long as I'm the one buying your clothes."

"Whatever," she shrugged "I still got Sammy."

Dean shot his brother a look. "That how she got those shorts cause I don't remember buying those."

Sam wondered how he was constantly dragged into his siblings' feud while he had nothing to do with it. It seemed like no matter what he did, he always bore the brunt.

"Uh, yeah about that," he scratched the back of his head, "she said please."

Dean cocked a single eyebrow. "Really? She says _please_ and you do whatever she wants? And you say I'm the one who's smitten."

Emmy sighed. "You both are, now shut up and eat."

 **SPN**

That night, while the Winchester brothers watched some footage from their case, Emmy was busy doing her homework. Well, she _looked_ like she was working on her spelling but her mind was elsewhere. She couldn't forget about how she had heard her name at the pool. She could've sworn the voice was real, she heard it loud and clear, but it seemed like she was the only one.

Emmy hadn't told her brothers about it. They would either freak out and get to the bottom of it, or they would be more protective and shielding than they already were. She thought that as long as she didn't have any proof she actually heard the voice, then maybe there was nothing to worry about. Emmy would be lying if she said she'd been sleeping well lately, maybe the exhaustion was taking its toll.

Yawning, she rested her head on her propped up fist. The letters looked like they were floating, as if they wanted it to make it extra hard for her to get the answers right. With another yawn, Emmy absentmindedly scratched at her arm with the pointy end of her pencil, the skin redder than before. Her eyes had a hard time focusing on the words in front of her, her eyelids suddenly feeling too heavy to keep them open. She was faintly aware of her brothers talking on the other side of the room, their voices slowly dissolving into the background.

"Hey where'd you even get this DVD?" Sam wondered out loud as Dean turned on the screen.

"They're called dailies. I got it from Cindy. She's kind of got this on-and-off thing going with Drew. He dubbed me an extra copy." Dean took a seat at the foot of the bed, using the remote to start the footage. "All right, here's where the guy fell through the roof."

" _They must have super-hearing,"_ said one of the actors. Suddenly another guy fell through the ceiling of the set, hanging by a noose.

Sam sat up. "Hey, wait, go back, go back." Dean rewind the tape. "Right after. Right aft- yeah right. Wait. There."

Dean paused the frame, inching closer to the screen where there was a completely different set. The brothers then noticed someone standing in the far corner. A ghostly white woman who had led the guy to his death.

"It's like 'Three Men and a Baby' all over again," Dean commented causing Sam to look at him confused. "Selleck, Danson, and Guttenberg. And... I don't know who played the baby."

"What's your point?"

Again, Dean was disappointed, but decided now was not the time to teach Sam some cultural facts. "There's a scene in the movie where people say that the camera caught a ghost on film. Apparently, in the background of one of the scenes, there was this boy that nobody remembers from set. Spirit photography."

Sam drew his eyebrows together in thought as he stared at the woman on the screen. "I've seen her before."

Dean looked back at the screen, trying to remember the face but he couldn't recognize her. "Nope, never seen her before."

"Elise Drummond," Sam said, turning to his brother. "Starlet back in the thirties. Had an affair with a studio exec. He uses her up, fires her, leaves her destitute, so Elise hangs herself from Stage 9's rafters, right into a scene they're shooting."

Dean nodded slowly. "Just like our man, Brad. So, what, she's got it in for the studio brass?"

Sam shrugged. "Possibly. I mean, it's a motive. And Brad's death matches hers exactly."

"We're digging tonight, aren't we?" Dean sighed.

Sam was about to confirm when they heard a bang against the table.

Emmy winced, rubbing her forehead in pain. She had fallen asleep, knocking her own head against her book.

Sam chuckled. "I think it's someone's bedtime."

"I'm not tired," she pouted as she rubbed at her tired eyes.

"Of course you're not," Dean smiled fondly, Emmy would never admit she was tired. He walked over to her, helping her to the bathroom where she could get dressed and wash up for bed.

Sam waited until he heard the water run before addressing his brother. "She's having nightmares again."

"I know." Dean ran a tired hand down his face. "Every time I ask her about it she says she doesn't remember anything of it."

"You think she's lying?" Sam could always tell whenever Emmy wasn't telling the truth, they could always read her like an open book.

"I don't think so," Dean admitted, leaning against the doorframe where he could hear her. "I only hope they're just dreams and nothing more."

Sam watched the closed door of the bathroom. "He's looking for her."

"He's never gonna find her." Dean's fists balled at the mention of the demon that had taken both his parents. He wasn't going to allow Yellow Eyes to take the only two people he loved, he was going to die protecting his brother and sister.

Sam admired his brother's confidence and courage, but those two things never saved them from losing their mother and father. "There's still a chance he will get his hands on her. We have to consider the – "

"Sam," Dean cut him off. "He won't have her. I'm not gonna let that happen and neither will you."

"I know, Dean. I will die protecting her, but there's a possibility that we might not be enough," Sam treaded carefully. He knew that Emmy's safety was always a sensitive topic. He remembered when Dean held their sister for the first time and how their mother made him promise that he would take care of her. From that moment on, Dean took the responsibility as a big brother very seriously. Nothing, absolutely nothing could get in between him and his siblings. Nothing.

Dean bit the inside of his cheeks. _Fight for the people and things you love, no matter what task or risk you may face._ Those were his father's words, the same words he whispered into his ear right after he told the secret about Emmy. Dean will never forget those hushed words, he will never forget how his father collapsed in the hospital hallway right after that. All John ever did was fight until his last breath and that's what Dean was going to do – he will fight for Emmy until his heart stops beating.

The oldest Winchester turned to his brother. Sam wasn't trying to discourage him, he was just trying to warn him. And Dean knew the risks, he knew about the dangers and how demons played by their own rules. But when has that ever stopped him – he promised he'd to whatever it takes to keep the people he loved safe. If that means he'd have to risk his own life, then he'll gladly do it.

"Mom always used to say angels watched over us," Sam said quietly. He remembered being possessed by Meg and how she had whispered about some angel protecting Emmy. Sam was sceptic about it but deep inside, he hoped there was some winged, celestial creature out there that actually did watch over his sister.

Dean scoffed. "The devil is an angel too."

The door opened with a click. Emmy limped her way into the room, nails scratching at her arm. She looked around, feeling the tension filling the room. Her brothers both offered her a small smile that told her not to worry which made her worry instead.

"What's wrong?" she asked as she crawled into bed with another yawn.

"Nothing," Sam offered her one of his dimpled smiles. He tucked her in, pushing her bangs out of her eyes. The way his sister looked at him through her long eyelashes reminded him of someone who used to look at him the exact same way. Whenever Mary's eyes would catch his, blue eyes identic to Emmy's, Sam would always see two things – trust and love. Funny how one look could give away a person's soul and heart.

"You guys don't look like nothing's wrong."

Sam gently stroked her hair, fingers tangled in the soft strands. "We're just worrying about you."

Emmy rolled her eyes fondly, hugging Johnny close to her. "You always do. It's a bad habit, you guys should stop it. I read in my biology book that worrying too much is bad for your health."

"Oh really?" Dean perched himself on her bed with arms crossed.

"Oh yeah, totally," Emmy nodded, barely able to keep her eyes open. "It affects your sleep, appetite and job performance. Something with high anxiety and something else I can't remember." The last words came out slurred, as if even her tongue was too tired to form the words correctly.

Dean chuckled. "I think someone will ace her biology test."

"You guys should smile more and worry less," she mumbled, eyes already shut.

"We'll try to do that," Sam caressed the side of her face, leaning over to kiss the other cheek.

Dean kissed her goodnight, too. Whispering he loved her, thinking she had already fallen asleep. But Emmy had heard the words.

 **SPN**

 _"_ _Wendy, don't!"_

 _"_ _What are you, afraid of ghosts? Come on, it'll be fun."_

"Oh. My. God." Emmy had to refrain from rolling her eyes as she listened to the dailies over and over again. "This is by far the worst horror movie ever."

Sam snorted, tweaking her freckled nose from where she lay upside down on the couch of the trailer with her legs in the air and her hair touching the floor. It turned out that Elise wasn't responsible for Brad's death. They had burned her bones last night and this morning they heard there was another murder on set. There had to be some clue Sam was sure they missed.

Dean entered. "Hey."

Sam didn't even look away from the screen where he rewind the tape again. "Hey. So you find out where the electrician's buried?"

"He wasn't. Billy Beard was cremated." Dean plopped down next to Emmy, jostling her.

"Great," Sam sighed, leaning back against the couch. "Now what?"

"No idea," his brother shrugged. "Any more ghost cameos in the dailies?"

Sam shook his head. "Not in the first six hours."

"You know, maybe the spirits are trying to shut down the movie 'cause they think it sucks," Emmy said, swinging her legs like she was riding an invisible bike. "'Cause, I mean, it kind of does."

Dean had to agree. "But Wendy though …"

Emmy pulled a face at the dreamy look her brother was wearing. "Dean. A dog can act better than her. I mean, just listen to her. _What are you, afraid of ghosts? Come on, it'll be fun,_ " she repeated in a snobby voice. "What the heck is fun about ghosts? I swear the only thing horrifying about this movie, is how stupid the actors are."

 _"_ _Come on, it'll be fun,"_ Wendy's voice said for the hundredth time.

Emmy groaned, covering her ears. "Kill me already."

Dean couldn't help but laugh, rubbing her stomach as if he felt bad for her.

That's when Sam suddenly noticed something. He rewind the tape, turning up the volume with the remote.

" _Come on, it'll be fun."_

"Sammy!" Emmy complained. "Do you hate me or something?"

"Emmy, shh." Sam held his finger to his lips. "Listen to the invocation."

Dean strained his ears, focusing on the Latin words.

Sam paused the tape, his eyes wide as realization hit him. "Dean, that's the real deal – a necromantic summoning ritual. What the hell is that doing in a Hollywood movie?"

 **SPN**

Piece of advice, never do cartwheels with a cast around your foot. Emmy hissed as she rubbed at her thigh where a bruise was starting to form. She limped around the trailer, blowing raspberries and searching for something to do – no cartwheels though. Her brothers left as soon as they watched the tape, leaving her alone as they went to solve the case. Emmy was bored out of her mind, there was literally nothing to do. She had busied herself doing some acrobatics but that didn't end well. She couldn't leave the trailer either because technically she wasn't allowed on set. Also with the police still investigating the crime scene, she couldn't draw any unwanted attention.

Emmy dropped herself on the carpeted floor. "I'm boo-oo-oored," she sang to no one in particular.

"Mary-Elisabeth."

Emmy's breath hitched. _Not again, please not again._ She shut her eyes until she saw spots, trying to ignore the voice.

"Mary-Elisabeth."

She covered her ears, shaking her head. "No, nope. This is not real, I'm just imagining stuff."

 _"_ _Emmy!"_

She started humming a song, anything to drown the voice.

"EMMY!"

"OH, SHUT UP!"

"Hey!" A hand wrapped around her wrist, startling her.

Emmy opened her eyes, gaping as she looked at the face looking at her upside down. She jumped up, wincing when she forgot about the cast. But she quickly shrugged it off as she faced the man in front of her. She didn't know if she wanted to hit him or hug him.

"Gabriel?!" Her eyes soon flashed in concern when she noticed the state he was in. He had multiple cuts on his face, blood dripped from his bottom lip, a black eye, his shoulders were sagged, even his clothes were tattered and ripped. "What happened to you," she whispered.

The angel smiled, his teeth colored with his own blood. "Oh, you don't wanna know."

Emmy knew he was trying to sugarcoat this, she recognized the way he would play it off as if nothing happened. Her brothers would do it all the time. There was a time they would come in with bruises all over their body and they would tell her they had an encounter with a jackass who hated losing at poker, and Emmy being innocent and naïve, she would believe every word. But she wasn't an oblivious kid anymore, she didn't fall for the stupid lies anymore.

"Who did this to you," she pressed.

Gabriel chuckled but Emmy didn't miss how he winced briefly. "We're at war, Mary-Elisabeth."

"War?" She stepped closer, eying the long sword in the angel's hand, the steel was glimmering even though there was no light.

"I'm sorry for not answering your calls."

Emmy ignored how he choose to ignore her question. "That's okay. Can't you heal yourself?"

"This is not my true form, sugar," he tried to reassure her. "How's your foot? And your ribs?"

"Well, my ribs are healed. And as you can see, I know have to drag this stupid, heavy cast around for the next ten weeks." Emmy looked at up Gabriel, trying to catch his gaze. "MJ told me about Azazel, said he was gonna take me."

"He won't, not if he knows what's good for him." Gabriel's knuckles cracked as he dug his nails into the palm of his hands. "Look, I failed. I should've protected you. I hope you haven't lost faith in me. I would understand if you're angry with me - "

"What kinda war were you fighting?" She asked, interrupting him.

"A war."

Emmy knew she wasn't going to get more. "Whose side are you on?"

The angel squinted his eyes, surprised by the question. "I'm an angel of the lord. I always fight for my father's creatures, for the good."

"Does that mean you're fighting for me, too?"

Gabriel laughed, taken aback. He knelt in front of her, biting back a groan as he did, and held her small hands in his. "Did you fall too hard on your head, pumpkin?"

"You fought for us, Gabriel. Why in the world would I be angry with you?"

"I let you down."

"It's just a broken foot," she said with a small smile. "It's not the end of the world."

The angel looked at her for a long minute. The girl in front of him still didn't understand how valuable her life was. She wasn't like the others, she wasn't replaceable, there was only one of her. The day she is gone, is the day the world will end. Literally.

"Let me heal you."

Emmy laughed. "Oh sure, and how do you want me to explain that to my brothers? Oh hey, Sammy and Dean, look, it's a miracle!"

Gabriel couldn't help but grin. Her laughter was contagious.

"Besides, I think it's kinda cool." She twisted her casted foot, showing off her drawings. "Also it comes with a lot of advantages. I barely need to do any chores, I can eat on my bed, oh and I also get lots of piggyback rides."

"Sounds fun," he chuckled. "But are you sure?"

"One hundred percent," she nodded. "Hey can I ask you something?"

Gabriel's hands squeezed hers. "Of course."

Emmy looked around before leaning closer to him, whispering, "I think I'm going crazy."

"And why is that?" he whispered back even though he made sure no one would be able to hear or spot them.

Emmy bit her lip. "I hear voices."

Gabriel cracked a smile.

Emmy leaned back, punching his shoulder and then apologizing when he groaned. "It's not funny! Yesterday at the pool I heard someone saying my name."

"That was me, you silly bunny."

Emmy crossed her arms. "That was you! What the hell, next time tell me before letting me think I lost my mind. Why didn't you just come to me."

"I was busy," was his only response. "I tried to warn you."

"Warn me?"

"I could sense a dark, malevolent presence around you."

Emmy was confused. "What are you talking about, I was just at the pool."

"Show me your arm," he ordered, already pulling her sleeve up with bruised knuckles. He examined the red spot on her arm, muttering a string of curse words, making Emmy blush.

"What is it?"

"She marked you."

"What does that mean," she asked worriedly, touching the skin. Remembering when the woman touched her arm to help her and the sting she felt.

"It means you're visible to their kind. Azazel is still following you around, your necklace cloaked you before but not anymore."

Emmy remembered when she first encountered the demon, not knowing who he was at the time. He had touched her necklace and she remembered the prickling feeling washing over her body. She still missed the familiar weight of the silver butterfly resting on her chest.

"With me around, he could never touch you, not even in your dreams. But now he marked you, which means he still can't do anything, but now he can easily track you."

Emmy swallowed hard. "What if I get rid of the mark."

The angel shook his head, the motion painful to his neck. "I'd have to burn the skin and that still doesn't mean it's gone. The mark runs deep into your blood and soul."

Taking a shaky breath, Emmy shifted on her feet. If it weren't for Gabriel still holding her hands, she would've noticed them trembling.

"Hey," Gabriel pulled back her attention. "Remember my job? I won't let anything happen to you, do you hear me?"

Emmy nodded, eyes glistening with unshed tears.

"Listen to me, you know I look out for you and I know your brothers are always around, but that doesn't mean you're safe. You'll need to be careful. Don't talk to anyone you don't know, don't let anyone touch you and don't trust anyone but me and your brothers. Understand."

Emmy nodded again, lips trembling.

"It's okay to be scared sometimes," Gabriel told her softly. "Courage is the ability to face your fears not hide them."

This time she couldn't stop the tear from rolling down her cheek. "My dad used to say that."

"I know."

Wiping away the tear, she sniffed, trying to compose herself. She had so many questions but knew she wasn't going to get any answers. God only knew how many times she tried to find some clarity but she would always remember Gabriel's word – _you're better off not knowing._

"Am I still gonna see him?" she asked instead.

"I made a promise didn't I," he reminded her, brushing her knuckles with his thumbs.

"When?"

Gabriel licked the cut at the corner of his upper lip. "Soon."

 **SPN**

Emmy shuddered when a cold night wind blew through her hair. She buttoned up her coat as she leaned against the hood of the Impala waiting for her brothers. The smell of gasoline lingered in the air around the gas station causing her to bury her nose in her scarf. Her blue eyes were fixed on the glass doors to the small convenience store where her brothers had disappeared. Looking around, she frowned when she suddenly noticed the lack of cars. The Impala seemed out of place in the abandoned gas station and the silence was deafening.

They had been on the road for three days now, leaving sunny L.A. for rainy South Dakota. At the rate Dean was going, Emmy was sure they would arrive at Bobby's in less than a day. She was tired of staying in the car all the time, tired of doing nothing but sleep and eat and play and listen to her brother's music. She couldn't wait to get to Bobby's and go back to annoy the hell out of him and horse around with Rumsfeld. Oh how she had missed those two…

A sizzling sound drew her attention to the badly lit neon lights on top of the store. The letters were barely holding on and only three of them were still on. Emmy tried to make out the words but had no chance to when the remaining lights suddenly exploded. She instinctively took a step back, wincing when a piece of glass left a small cut on her cheek. She wiped away the drop of blood with her sleeve.

Emmy frowned.

The gas station. The flickering neon lights. The little nick on her cheek.

Why did everything seem so familiar? Almost like a déjà vu…

A sound coming from behind her caused her to turn around. Emmy caught a figure standing near one of the gas pumps. She wasn't sure if the man was facing her or not, he was just standing there with his hands tucked in his pockets.

"Hello?" she called out, her breath fogging in the cold night air.

The man didn't budge, nor did he gave any sign of acknowledging her. Emmy didn't know if he even saw her but his presence was alarming. Taking no chances, she decided to get into the convenience store where her brothers were taking too long.

The glass doors opened automatically and a bell rang above her head as she entered. Emmy walked through the aisles, looking for her brothers.

"Sammy? Dean? Sammy?"

When Emmy got no response, she searched for the isle holding alcoholic beverages, knowing that the chance of finding Dean there was one out of two. "Dean?" she called out but found no one.

As she walked through the racks, her steps quickened until she was almost running. Emmy felt like being in a maze as she crossed the entrance for what felt like the hundredth time.

"You guys, this isn't funny!"

Emmy half-expected her brothers to show up, laughing about how they got a scare out of her while she would lie about how she wasn't scared at all. But the hairs standing on the back of her neck, her erratic breathing and her wild heartbeat proved otherwise.

"Is anybody here?" she asked as she ran to the counter. She let out a breath of relief when she found someone sitting on a chair, reading something in his lap. "Oh, thank god," she sighed at the sight of the cashier. "Excuse me mister, have you seen my brothers? One tall guy with short hair and another taller guy with longer hair. One of them is wearing a leather jacket, the other's got a …" Emmy trailed off when she got no response. She snapped her fingers, "Excuse me!" But the man kept his head down, his chin pressed against his chest, his magazine resting on his belly.

" _Helloooo_!" she hit her hand against the counter, trying to get his attention but to no avail. She was about to raise her voice when something caught her eye. A trickle of red substance trailed down the man's throat. Emmy craned her neck, frowning when the man seemed to be bleeding out of his ears.

"Uh, sir? Are you okay?" Worry started to settle into the pit of her stomach when she got no reply. Emmy decided to crawl over the counter to reach the man. She lightly shook his shoulder but she didn't even get a single reaction. She then moved her hand to his neck, trying to feel his pulse. But as soon as her fingers moved up to his throat, the man's head slowly lolled back until it dropped to the floor, rolling away.

Emmy's mouth opened, too shocked to make a sound let alone breathe. When she finally found her voice, she couldn't hold off the bloodcurdling scream escaping her lips. She jumped off the counter, tripping over her own feet. She picked herself up, making a beeline for the doors when a figure appeared in front of her, blocking her.

As she looked up, her breath hitched and her heart dropped. The man crouched in front of her. Emmy studied his features, the crowfeet around his eyes, the faint grey hairs, the scar on his jawline hidden by his stubble, the wrinkles on his forehead, the yellow eyes...

With a trembling gasp, she quickly jumped back. She frantically looked around, eyes taking in the details of her surroundings. She dreamed about this before, she remembered the gas station, the store, the dead cashier, she remembered it all. Only difference was that Azazel was wearing her father's body and face instead of the meatsuit he was borrowing now.

"And so we meet again," Yellow Eyes smiled.

Emmy slowly shook her head, not wanting to believe this was actually happening _again._ _Please let this be a dream, please let this be a dream, please let this be a dream,_ she begged over and over again.

"A dream?" the demon laughed. Emmy hadn't realized she said it out loud. "I thought this was a nightmare."

A whimper escaped between her lips as she took another step back. That's when she realized something. Looking down she noticed a pair of sneakers … and no cast. This _was_ a dream but Emmy wasn't sure if that was a good thing, it was easy to escape from reality but how do you come back? She was stuck, she felt trapped in her own mind.

 _Gabriel? Please, Gabriel!_

Azazel chuckled. "Where's the damn angel when you need him, huh?"

Emmy wasn't sure if he could read her mind or maybe she lost the competence of thinking quietly.

"Or maybe I'm just in your head." The corners of the man's lips twitched in an evil grin, his eyes as yellow as fire.

"Why are you following me?" she finally confronted after mustering up enough courage to face him.

The man walked forward in a slow pace. "Correction, I'm not _following_ you … I'm _hunting_ you, Mary-Elisabeth."

Hearing his voice saying her name made Emmy feel sick to her stomach. Taking several steps back, she tried to look for an escape. "W-why?"

"Because mommy dearest still owes me. After all, you wouldn't have had the pleasure to meet her if it wasn't for me," he said matter of factly.

Emmy glared at him with a mixture of disgust and hatred. "Meet her? She's dead," she spat, her tone full of accusation. "You _burned_ her."

"Ah-ah," he clicked his tongue. "Your mother's stupidity is what killed her, not me. If only she had kept her end of the bargain, she would still be alive." He took another step closer, eyes blazing with venom. "Tell me, was it worth it?"

Emmy stopped dead in her tracks. "Was what worth it?"

"Your mother paying for your life … with hers."

The youngest Winchester swallowed hard. She cursed her trembling body for betraying the fear and anger building up inside of her.

"Come on, sweet girl. Why don't you come with me and bury the hatchet, huh," he proposed, offering his hand.

Emmy wanted to flee, get as far away from him as possible. "No."

The demon chuckled, his tongue tracing his front teeth. "You seem like a smart girl, Mary-Elisabeth. But right now you're being stupid. You remind me of someone … oh right, your mother. You really want to end up like her?"

"You really think I'd say yes?" It was Emmy's turn to chuckle now, but the fear was still crawling at her skin. "You need my consent. You can't do anything to me as long as I don't let you." For a brief moment she felt something burning in her, something foreign and strong. Is that how power felt?

"I underestimated you," he grinned. "Fine, I'll admit. I do need your permission to take you, but don't you worry little girl, you'll say yes."

"No, thank you." The thought that this was all just a dream and that he couldn't harm her, gave Emmy's confidence a boost. She did hope she wasn't pushing her luck too much.

Azazel laughed, shaking his head as if it was the funniest thing ever. As if he knew something she didn't. But the joke was on him, because Emmy was the one not laughing.

She took a step closer, something in the back of her mind told her to stop but for once she decided to live up to the Winchester name. This was her dream, she was the one in control.

"What will happen if you hurt me? What will happen if you touch me … without my permission?" she wondered out loud, taking another step closer. To her surprise the demon actually took a step back. Emmy smirked. She inched closer and his feet marched backwards. She reached out to touch him, just a light brush, but he instantly recoiled as if the mere touch of her fingertip could send him back to hell. "Guess the tables are turned now."

The yellow-eyed demon was seething, his nostrils flaring, eyes blazing, fists balled up. The image alone would've made Emmy shake in her boots but knowing he had nothing on her, she laughed. The demon reminded her of a toddler throwing a tantrum because he couldn't take a cookie from the jar.

"Mary-Elisabeth."

Emmy turned to see her angel, clad in a suit, hair slicked back, but more importantly he was unharmed. She wondered if he was healed or if he chose to appear like this in her dream. But that's not what was on her mind, it was the shadow behind the angel. _Wings_. Emmy realized this was the first time she saw them and she berated herself for not asking about it before. It was mesmerizing, huge and … beautiful. This was how a dream was supposed to be, just angels and jaw-dropping wings. But no dream was beautiful with the presence of a demon.

"Gabriel!" Azazel clapped his hands together. "Thanks for joining us."

Gabriel motioned Emmy to come to him, his eyes never leaving the demon. "I was a bit busy."

"What happened, did someone ruffle your feathers?" he teased.

"At least I fight my own wars, unlike you."

Azazel picked at his nails, unbothered. "Don't like to get my hands dirty."

"Of course." Gabriel was amused, his hands on Emmy's shoulders. "Tell me, why is this set-up so familiar? I could've sworn this happened before … Please remind me, how did that end again?"

The demon didn't answer. Knowing all too well that the angel was mocking him.

Gabriel snapped his fingers. "Oh right, I ended up showing you the deepest depths of hell. I hope you recovered from those burns."

"That wasn't really nice of you," a wicked grin played at Azazel's lips. "If my memory serves me well, I remember being punished for not doing anything."

"Invading the child's mind, luring her into your vicious plans, that's not nothing."

"Says who?"

"My father," the words resonated through the air like a loud sound wave. "Your lord, your creator. The one you decide to disobey over and over again." Gabriel's hands squeezed around Emmy's shoulders as if he could feel her tense up. "And would you look at that, it's like a déjà vu. What's the saying again, once bitten, twice shy? You want to be bitten again, Azazel?"

"Tell me, what gives you the right to take what's mine, huh?" he confronted, jaw ticked.

"She was never yours to begin with." Gabriel looked down at Emmy, offering her a small smile. "You can go now, Mary-Elisabeth."

Azazel's fist hit the wall, cracks appearing from the ceiling to the floor. "I'm just a demon telling the truth, Gabriel, can I help it if that makes the liars of the world angry?!" He almost shouted.

"Go, Mary-Elisabeth," Gabriel ordered again.

Emmy was confused, torn between wanting to go and stay.

"What makes you think I won't find her again once you let her go," Azazel said.

"What makes you think I won't be there once you find her again," Gabriel responded.

Emmy's breath caught in her throat when Azazel's yellow eyes intensified like a fire ready to explode and burn everything in its path. Everything around her started floating as if gravity suddenly became non-existent. The walls, ceiling and floor started crumbling – everything was being swallowed into a black hole. It looked like they were somewhere in the universe, the only thing missing where the twinkling stars and planets. It was almost symbolic the way both dreams started and ended the exact same way.

Emmy didn't notice she was holding onto Gabriel until he lowered his mouth near her ears, "You can let go now, sweetcheeks. I got you. And remember, keep your lips sealed."

And with that the youngest member of the Winchester family found herself staring up at the stained ceiling of the motel room. She was suddenly aware of everything – Dean's heavy arm around her waist as if he was afraid someone would whisk her away in his sleep, the cast around her foot that felt like it weighed a thousand pounds, the sock slipping from her other foot, the goosebumps on her arm that wasn't covered, the sweat on the back of her neck from her hair, Johnny's soft fur brushing her hand … the tiny cut on her cheek.

"Bad dream again?"

Emmy turned her head to look at Sam lying on the other bed next to her. She couldn't see his face, the room was too dark. But the concern lacing his voice was enough to envision his facial expression – worry lines on his forehead, eyebrows furrowed, lips tight. She didn't question why he was up at four o'clock in the morning, this was Sammy, the guy's mind held too many thoughts and memories that kept him up at night.

"Yeah," she whispered.

"You remember anything?"

Emmy swallowed hard as she stared back at the ceiling. She was glad Sam couldn't see her face either, that way he couldn't see her lie. "No … can't remember anything."

 **IMPORTANT A/N: BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE I MISSED YOU! Thanks for all the lovely words, each one of them touched me right in the heart. I'm doing a lot better for those who want to know, still struggling but I finally feel like I can actually move on. I can say thank you a thousand times but I wish I could** ** _show_** **how thankful I really am. I figured the only thing I can do is keep writing my stories but today I decided to give you a little more. Some of you pm'd me to ask if I can include more 'protective Dean and Sam' so here's a little scene that didn't make it in this chapter :)**

 **LOVE YOU *insert less than three's***

Emmy licked at her ice-cream cone as the trolley passed by movie and television sets. The tour around the studio was both interesting and fun to watch. It was one of the few activities she could do with the heavy cast around her foot. Her brothers thought they all needed a break after everything that had happened, a little vacation might do them some good.

"First opened in 1927, the lot has been in continuous operation for eight decades," the tour guide informed, pointing at the various houses and buildings.

Dean turned to the kid sitting next to him with squinted eyes. From the moment the tour started, the boy only seemed to have eyes for two things, his ice-cream and Emmy. It was the main reason Dean decided to sit next to him, leaving Sam and Emmy to sit in front of them. Dean was starting to think the kid was immune to his death-stare because he never once crumbled under the Winchester's blazing eyes. Or maybe the preteen was lacking some common sense.

"Hey, you know this is where they filmed _Creepshow,"_ Dean said in an attempt to distract the kid.

The boy looked unimpressed and continued staring ahead at the blonde head belonging to Emmy.

Dean gritted his teeth as he contemplated giving the boy something else to look at. _Too many witnesses,_ he thought as he looked around. Instead leaning forward, he tapped his brother on the shoulder. Sam half-turned, cocking a questioning eyebrow. "Come on, let's go."

"Now?" Sam asked, referring to the moving trolley. They couldn't just jump out of the vehicle.

Emmy twisted in her seat. "But the tour's not finished yet," she protested. She felt someone staring at her and flickered her gaze from Dean to the boy sitting next to him. He wiggled his eyebrows with a smile that made her uncomfortable.

Sam noticed the wordless interaction between the kids and put two and two together as he caught his brother shooting daggers at the boy. The middle Winchester rolled his eyes and turned back around. Leave it to Dean to let something like this get to him. If he was already agitated by this innocent look, then Sam didn't want to know what Dean would do once Emmy got older and boys would do more than just wiggle their eyebrows.

Emmy pulled a disgusted face when the boy winked at her and decided to copy Sam by turning back in her seat.

Dean wished he could ignore the boy the way his siblings did, but it was easier said than done. After another five minutes, Dean could no longer contain the rage boiling inside of him and knocked over the kid's ice-cream.

The boy gasped, his wide eyes trailing from his empty hand to the cold substance dripping from his lap. He was fuming, nostrils flaring.

Dean could barely contain his laughter. "I would wipe that off if I were you. People are gonna think you had an accident."

The boy was practically seething. " _You_ did this," he accused.

"Did I?" Dean threw back, almost challenging the kid to prove otherwise.

The boy visibly gulped, dropping his gaze.

 _Good_ , Dean thought. He briefly felt guilty as he watched him clean up the strawberry flavored ice-cream, matching his red face. But when Dean thought of that look he was just giving his sister, like she was the ice-cream he wanted devour, the guilt vanished into thin air.

Sam shook his head at his brother. "What are you, five?"

"Don't look at me, I didn't do anything," Dean protested.

"Here, you can have mine."

The kid looked up to see Emmy handing him her half-eaten ice-cream cone. He hesitated, eyes jumping from the oldest to the youngest Winchester.

"What are you doing?" Dean asked through gritted teeth.

"Being polite," she said with a nod before turning to the boy. "I apologize for my brother, he can be a bully sometimes."

Dean scoffed. "No I'm not."

"Yes, you are," Sam intercepted, not bothering to even turn around in his seat.

"Thanks," the kid said. Emmy smiled before turning back in her seat. The boy couldn't help but shoot a smug look at Dean who snorted in disbelief.

"You're a piece of work, you know that?"

The boy licked at the ice-cream cone with a moan which earned him a disgusted look from Dean. "Tastes sweet, just like her," he whispered with a provocative smirk.

Dean swore he would've punched the kid's face if it weren't for the hand gripped around his balled fist.

"Dean," Sam's voice was stern and constrained. "He's just a kid."

"I'm gonna kill him, Sam. I will," Dean spat through gritted teeth.

"No, you will not." Sam shot his brother a warning look but felt like it wouldn't make any difference. Dean was pissed and when Dean is pissed he didn't always think straight. Before his brother could do anything he'll regret later, Sam decided to put an end to the tour. Much to Emmy's dismay.

"But you promised," she scowled.

Sam felt bad for his sister, he truly did but as long as he couldn't keep his stupid, uncontrollable brother in line, he couldn't take any risks. "I'm so sorry, honey. I'll make it up to you, I promise." Turning to his brother, Sam's soft features dropped, his face suddenly hard. "Move."

The trolley had stopped for a brief moment while the guide told the history of another famous set. This gave the Winchesters the opportunity to leave the tour. Dean adjusted the lapels of his jacket, shooting one last murderous look at the boy before he made his way out, waiting outside for his siblings while he tried to cool off.

Sam followed, helping his sister with her crutches when the boy caught her arm. "Hey, you got a fever or something?"

Emmy frowned, confused. "No, why?"

"Cause you make me melt like a hot fudge sundae."

Sam had to give it to the boy, he had some serious balls.

"I swear I'm gonna kill him," Dean growled, lunging at the boy.

Sam, always there to save the day and making sure to keep his brother out of jail, was in time to interfere before anything could happen. He grabbed his brother and dragged him out of the trolley, apologizing to the tour guide and the other passengers who were either amused or shocked by the whole scenery.

Emmy watched the boy snicker to himself. She had felt sorry for him when Dean ruined his ice-cream but now she just thought he was being rude and totally disrespectful.

Trying to wipe that winning smirk off his red, chubby face, she used her crutch to knock over her ice-cream sandwich from his pudgy hands into his lap.

"Oops," she smiled, "I would wipe that off if I were you. People are gonna think you had an accident." With that she left the boy jaw-slacked and blushing from embarrassment.

Sam helped her down the steps of the trolley, patting her shoulder in praise. His little sister was a tough cookie.

Dean felt kinda bad for ruining this for his sister and had hoped he could've kept his temperament in check. He scratched the back of his head, avoiding her eyes, "Look, I'm really sorry sweetheart, but that little dick was pushing my buttons and –"

"Dean," Sam gasped at his brother's use of words, "He's a _kid._ "

"Kid or not, no one objectifies my baby sister," he bit back. "Did you even hear what he said?"

"Yes, but that doesn't give you the right to hit him," Sam confronted.

"I wasn't gonna hit him, I was just trying to scare him."

With a roll of his eyes, he scoffed. "Yeah, sure. Whatever makes you sleep at night."

"Oh, please," Dean snorted. "As if you weren't thinking about punching his face, too."

Sam looked offended. "Are you out of your mind? What part of _he's just a kid_ don't you understand?"

"The part where that apparently gives him a pass to do anything. Oh and he was gonna do _something_ , I could see it in his eyes. The little, fat perverted prick."

By now, Emmy had already ignored her brothers' bickering. She watched as the trolley rolled away, moving on to the next set. What has she ever done to deserve the most thickheaded and protective brothers in the world? Was this some kind of a punishment? Life was so not fair.

"Hey!" Emmy used her crutches to punch both her brothers on the arms to shut them up. "You guys done bitching cause you owe me some ice-cream."

"Did she just hit us?" Sam muttered, trying to rub away the sting.

Dean looked at his sister full of surprise as she walked ahead, leaving them to follow. "Seriously though, where the hell did she learn to hit like that?"

The corner of Sam's lips twitched in a small smile. He watched Emmy's blonde hair waving in the wind, reminding him of his mother – his beautiful mother, his courageous mother, his _strong_ mother. His little sister might not have any Winchester blood rushing through her veins but the Campbells blood was what made her the wonderful and keen person she was now.

"I guess she got it from Mom."


	19. What Is and What Should Never Be, pt 1

Emmy closed her eyes as she swung back and forth on the tire-swing. Her feet in the air, her hair in the wind, and her mind floating elsewhere.

"Have you ever killed a monster before?" Macy asked.

"No."

Macy snorted. Not in an amused way but in a _you're-so-pathetic-_ kind of way. Emmy never considered Macy a friend, she was just that girl she knew from seeing her from time to time. Macy's father was a friend of John's, they were both hunters, yet they were so different. John never told Emmy about the supernatural or the family business until she was nine, and that was because she found out on her own when she got attacked by a Shtriga. The male Winchesters also never included her in any of their hunts or research. Emmy wasn't even allowed to touch a weapon, let alone _use_ it.

But Macy, Macy had a different upbringing and that's where her father differed from John. Macy knew about monsters and ghosts since the day she was born. Her family never hid anything from her, they even let her participate. Her own parents gave her a Glock for her ninth birthday. A Glock. For her ninth birthday. Ninth. Emmy remembered getting a new phone for her ninth birthday.

"I once decapitated a vampire."

Now it was Emmy's turn to snort. "Yeah, right."

"You don't believe me?" Macy jumped off of her own tire-swing and grabbed the rope holding Emmy's, causing her to stop swinging. "I took my daddy's chainsaw and ripped that bloodsucker's head from his neck. It didn't come off the first time, I had to swing three times before it's head finally rolled on the floor. But still, I killed it."

"Good for you." Emmy had to refrain from rolling her eyes. She started looking around Bobby's yard in search for a black Rottweiler and sighed when she caught Rumsfeld sleeping behind a rusted truck in the shade.

"Have you ever killed a vampire before?"

Without looking at her face, Emmy could practically hear Macy's smug smile. "No, I haven't. And I don't think I even want to. Sounds gruesome."

"You're such a softie," Macy scoffed, throwing her long black hair over her right shoulder. "But that's okay, not everyone's born to be a hunter."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Emmy tried not to sound offended but knew she failed.

"It means it's okay if you don't wanna be a hunter, not everyone's made for this life style. You either have it or you don't. And you Emmy obviously don't have it in you."

"How would you know? You don't know anything about me! I'm a Winchester," Emmy snapped. "Besides, I'm ten, I still have my whole life to decide what _'I have in me'."_

Macy shrugged. "So? I'm only one year older than you and I already can't imagine myself doing something other than hunting."

Emmy fake smiled. "Well, I'm happy you already figured out your future."

"You don't have to be snappy just because I told you the truth."

"You don't have to be snappy just because I told you the truth," Emmy repeated with a mocking tone. She didn't even care how childish she sounded, she frigging hated Macy. "Why are you even here? We don't even get along, last time I saw you we had a fight cause you thought it would be fun to ride my bike into the lake."

"That was an accident!" Macy objected but the sneaky glint in her eyes betrayed her. "And trust me, I didn't wanna come over either but my parents are still on the road and so are your brothers, so Bobby figured you'd want some company."

"Well, uncle Bobby was wrong," Emmy mumbled under her breath.

"So how did you end up with a cast around your foot?"

"Long story," Emmy said, pushing the tire with her good foot.

Macy picked up a little rock and threw it against a truck, nearly hitting Rumsfeld. "I got all day."

Emmy let out an aggravated sigh. "A demon."

Macy turned around to face the youngest Winchester. "I thought you said your brothers never let you tag along on their hunts."

"It wasn't a hunt, the demon was possessing a girl I was playing with. She pushed me off the monkey bars and I fell, and yeah that's pretty much it." Emmy didn't want to dwell on the story for too long. She didn't know Macy all that well and she didn't trust her enough to share her secrets with her.

"What did the demon want with you?"

"I don't know."

Macy narrowed her brown eyes. "My dad said you were special."

Emmy's eyes jumped to the girl standing in front of her. "I'm what?"

"Special. Don't know what he means though, I just overheard him once talking with my mom about it."

Emmy couldn't believe that some strangers knew more about her than she did. She thought that her family was the only one who knew about her 'pure soul'. Her brothers weren't really close with Macy's parents so it had to be John who had told them, or Bobby.

"Who told them?"

Macy's lips twitched in a smirk. "So you're not denying it?"

"I just asked why they possibly would think I'm _special,"_ Emmy shot back.

"Your Dad once asked for my parents' help with some necklace. I was only six when I heard about it, I didn't think much of it back then." Macy threw another rock, landing right in front of Rumsfeld but the dog just slept through it like the lazy mutt it was. "So why exactly are you special?"

"I'm not," Emmy grumbled, this girl was really getting on her nerves.

"Uhu," Macy didn't sound convinced. "So what are your brothers up to?"

"They're undercover in some jail in Utah."

" _Undercover_?" Macy quipped.

Emmy shot her a death glare. Who was this girl to judge her brothers. They might not always be the most law abiding citizens but that didn't mean they were bad people that belonged in the slammer. "Yes, _undercover._ "

"Jeez you're cranky today," Macy chuckled. "What are they hunting."

Emmy got back to swinging on her tire-swing. "A spirit who's offing inmates."

"Ah a salt and burn, easy. I once had to deal with a vengeful spirit not too long ago. I was just about to burn the remains of this old lady that wouldn't leave her husband alone, when she grabbed me by the throat and threw me against a tree. She left some bruises and a nasty scar on my side. Wanna see it?" Without waiting for a reply, she lifted up her shirt to show a pink scar running from her ribs to her hip. "My mom was angry at me first, said that if I had been more careful I wouldn't have ended up with the scar. But I think it's pretty cool. Makes me look tougher, don't ya think?"

Emmy swore that if this girl didn't shut her mouth she would wring her neck.

"Hey you should ask your brothers to bring you on a hunt. And leaving you behind in the car doesn't count. You don't really have to do anything, just watch and learn. Reading books and knowing everything about every monster isn't enough. If you don't actually take part than the knowledge is of no good use. And I know you're brothers aren't excited about you tagging along but like you said, you're a Winchester, you're bound to – _hey!_ Where are you going?"

Emmy limped her way back to Rumsfeld. "C'mere, boy." She tapped her thigh, signaling for him to come with her.

Macy caught up with her. "Didn't anyone teach you how rude it is to leave when someone's talking to you?"

"Oh I'm sorry, you were talking to _me?_ I thought you were just having a monologue," was Emmy's sarcastic reply.

"Okay, I know you don't like me, and neither do I –"

"You don't like yourself either?" Emmy huffed in amusement as she started for Bobby's house. "Wow."

Macy rolled her eyes, following her. "You know what I mean! I was just trying to be nice."

Emmy sighed. Macy was right, maybe she was being rude. But it wasn't her fault, the girl just threw her off with her talks about her hunting experience and her supportive family. It's not like Emmy was jealous, she just realized how different they really were and she hadn't yet decided if she liked that or not.

"You're right. I'm sorry."

Macy was slightly surprised about the apology. "I'm sorry, too … about your dad."

Emmy stopped dead in her tracks. Not counting her family and friends, Macy was the first one who paid her condolences to her. Emmy wasn't sure if it was supposed to make her feel better when people said it, because it made her feel horrible and hurt. She knew her father wasn't with her anymore and she thought she'd accepted that fact, but then why did this keep hitting her like a train?

"He was a good man, you know," Macy spoke quietly, unsure about what to say. "I didn't know him very well but I remember him once giving me some candy. He only had strawberry flavored ones cause he said those were the only ones you couldn't eat because of your allergy. He said it was a miracle you hadn't eaten those too cause you were a candy-addict," Macy smiled. "From the way he spoke about you, I could tell that he loved you a lot."

Those were the nicest words Emmy ever heard from Macy. It kind of threw her off guard. Swallowing down the big lump in her throat, she sniffed, trying to compose herself when she wiped away a tear rolling down her cheek.

"T-thanks," she whispered through trembling lips. "Uh, I just wanna be alone now, if that's okay…"

For once Macy didn't shoot back one of her trademark comments. She bit her tongue and nodded. "Sure."

Emmy cleared her throat and left with Rumsfeld on her heels.

 **SPN**

"Go fish."

"Uncle Bobby, do you miss Dad?"

The old gruff man looked up from his cards, his eyes meeting a set of two blue orbs looking at him questionably. The look only, the image of someone who shared the same conviction and mindset with his old friend, instantly brought John's face in his thoughts. Truth was he didn't miss John, but he did find himself thinking about him from time to time. But only because a certain someone reminded him of the man all the time.

Bobby put his card down. "Yeah, especially when someone won't listen to me when I tell her no dogs in the bedroom."

Emmy's lips twitched in a small smile.

"Do you miss your daddy?"

The ten year old dropped her gaze to her cards. "I do." Sometimes she thought of the ol' man like a fleeting memory, something she could brush aside effortlessly. Other times she missed him so much it physically hurt. "Do you think he'd want me to become like him?"

Raising an eyebrow as he gulped down his beer, Bobby made a questioning sound.

Emmy played with her cards as she explained herself. "Do you think he'd want me to be part of the family business? Like Sammy and Dean."

"Seeing as he never planned to let you know about the skeletons in your closet," Bobby began gradually, "I think he wanted you out of the family business."

Nodding, the youngest Winchester put her own cards down, leaning back against her chair. "What if that's not what I want."

Bobby chuckled. "I can think of a million other fun things girls of your age would like to do, and getting blood on your hands isn't one of 'em. Now tell me, why would you wanna waste your precious time hunting down monsters?"

Emmy chewed on the inside of her cheek, never once breaking eye contact with her surrogate uncle. "Why are you wasting your precious time buried in books? Why are my brothers wasting their precious time risking their lives for others?"

The amused glint in the old man's eyes diminished. "Look, I shouldn't have invited that Macy girl over. Whatever idea she planted in that little blonde head of yours, you might as well get rid of it."

"This has nothing to do with Macy," she protested. "How is it fair that my family gets to avenge our mother's death and I don't? How is it fair that they were involved in the family business since the beginning and I got left out of it? How is it fair that they're all keeping secrets from me?"

Bobby ran a hand through his hair before readjusting his hat. "You know why, darlin'. They want to protect – "

"Protect me," Emmy scoffed. "Yeah I'm getting used to hearing that," she muttered with her chin tucked against her chest.

Bobby sighed. "Emmy don't take it the wrong way. You've seen the real world, you've seen what's out there and what they're capable of doing. We would be stupid not to protect you from it."

"You're saying that as if this is all just temporarily. As if one day, both Sammy and Dean will quit and go back to their normal lives."

"You don't think that will ever happen?"

Emmy looked down at her cast on her foot. The proof of the fact that there was something more, something they haven't figured out yet, something that has yet to happen. She could feel it in her guts – her mother died for a reason, her father died for a reason, she got this 'pure soul' for a reason, she had an angel guarding her for a reason, _she_ _was here for a reason_.

"No," she cleared her throat. "Look at Sam, he tried to get away and we all know how that ended. Look at all the people we lost – Pastor Jim, Caleb, Jo's Dad, all these victims, my Mom," Emmy's voice broke, tears welled up, "my Dad."

Bobby reached over to grab her hand, rubbing his thumb over her knuckles. Her soft and unblemished skin contrasted with his scarred and calloused hand. He wanted her to stay soft and unblemished, untouched and innocent. But seeing her fighting to keep the tears and emotions at bay, he realized that it might be too late. She had already seen stuff, been through stuff and did stuff that no girl of her age should endure.

"What is it that you really want?" he asked her gently.

Emmy swallowed hard. "I want you to teach me how to hunt."

His chest lifted with the air he took before letting it leave his lungs. "I'm not sure I'm the one you should be asking, darlin'."

"You mean I should ask my brothers?" Emmy snorted. "They already taught me self-defense, that's about all they'll ever teach me. I don't want you to show me how to fight, uncle Bobby, I wanna learn about what's out there, about the things my brothers deal with."

She didn't choose to be part of the family, she didn't choose to be part of something bigger. No one had the right to exclude her from the 'family business', she was in it as much as her brothers were. Her age, her gender, her history should not be taken as an excuse. They were in it together because if Emmy had to take Gabriel's word for it, then this was all just the beginning of a long journey and no matter what her brothers and uncle wanted, she had every right to be a part of it.

Scratching at his scruff, Bobby was torn between two choices – keeping her in the dark or helping her out of it.

"I'll think about it."

 **SPN**

"Emmy! I ain't got all day, sweetheart, get a move on!"

"I'm coming!" Emmy yelled, quickly packing the last items into her backpack. "Sorry, Johnny," she mumbled as she squished the teddy bear in her bag. Her brothers came back a couple of days ago looking like some fugitives on the run – little did Emmy know about the escape – the boys had decided to stay on the down low for a while before getting back on the road again.

"Emmy!"

Rolling her eyes, she dragged her stuff out of her room to the top of the stairs. Dean was waiting downstairs, itching to get back into action again. Being lazy as she was, Emmy pushed her bags off the stairs, watching as they tumbled until they landed in front of her brother's feet.

Dean was unimpressed, looking up at her with a look that said ' _Really?'_. Emmy shrugged as she made her way to the bottom.

"I could've just carried those for you," he said as he effortlessly shouldered her bags on one shoulder.

"I just wasn't sure if you were strong enough," she told him with a mischievous twinkle in her eyes.

"Are you questioning my strength?" Dean looked offended, he was so easy to mess with.

Emmy started walking down the hallway with a limp due to her cast, her back facing her oldest brother. "I'm just saying I saw you sparring with Sammy this morning and it looked like you were losing your juice."

"Hey, that's not true, I let him win."

"It's okay Dean," Emmy sympathetically patted his shoulder loving how she could tease him, it was just too easy. "I won't tell anyone," she whispered, even shooting him a wink. It took everything in her not to laugh when she caught him clenching his teeth. For someone who had so much self-confidence, he didn't make it hard for anyone to get to him.

"Are you making fun of me?"

"No." Emmy had to bite her bottom lip to contain her laughter, but her eyes were all smiles.

Dean caught on and smiled, amused. "Well if I'm not as strong as you say I am, how come I can do _this_!"

Emmy squealed when she felt herself being scooped up around her waist. Dean flung her over his free shoulder, carrying her to the Impala where Sam was waiting.

"Is that all?" Sam said as he took the bags from his brother, putting them in the trunk.

"Actually I found this pretty thing in the hallway, you think we should take it with us?"

Hanging upside down, Emmy giggled when Rumsfeld started licking her face. "Dean put me down!"

Sam flashed his dimples as he grinned. "I don't think we got enough space in the trunk. We can always put her in the backseat though."

"Or in the front! Can I please sit in the front? Please, pretty pretty please?"

Dean had to readjust her in his hold as she tried to worm her way out of his arms. She ended up with her face close to his stomach, her knee hooked around his neck and her cast dangerously close to his face. Having no idea how she even managed it, he decided to put her out of her misery and put her back on her feet.

Dean laughed fondly at her messy hair and red, freckled cheeks. "Fine, but put your seat belt on this time, I don't wanna get a fine again."

"Yes!" Emmy's excitement was short lived when she noticed something different about the car. "What's up with the new plate?"

Sam combed his hand through her wild hair, trying to tame the locks. "Go say goodbye to Bobby, he's in the back."

"Go, go, go," Dean patted her bottom, "We're leaving in five, I don't wanna get stuck in traffic."

Not failing to notice how they changed the subject, Emmy dropped the matter and decided to bring it up later. Making her way back to the house, she searched for her uncle with Rumsfeld hot at her heels. "Uncle Bobby?"

"In here," was his muffled response as he wheeled from under a car. "I thought you kids had already left."

"Just wanted to say thanks for putting up with my crap the past week."

Bobby eyed her, she was fidgeting on the balls of her heels, hands behind her back. He knew she was waiting for his decision. If her brothers ever find out that he gave her a helping hand in something they wanted to keep away from her reach forever, they'd have his head on a spike. But looking at her, he was yet again reminded of the man she called Dad, the same man that would never give up reaching his goal. Nothing could get in the way of John, not even death, he would have what he wanted. If Emmy was anything like her father she would find a way to get what she wanted too and Bobby figured it'd be a lot safer if she got it from him.

Emmy's eyes widened as she watched her uncle grab a book from behind a tool box. He handed it to her and she frowned as she stared at the cover. " _Grimm's, A Timeless Collection of Fairytales?_ What am I supposed to do with this?"

Bobby motioned for her to open the book with a tilt of his head.

Doing so, Emmy quickly realized that the cover was just to hide the real cover of the book that said, " _The Element Encyclopedia of Supernatural Creatures: The Ultimate A-Z of Fantastic Beings from Myth and Magic."_

"Every living and non-living thing that has ever been discovered is in there. You make sure you keep this out of your brothers' reach and I'll promise to keep this between us."

Emmy hugged her uncle around the waist. "Thank you so much, uncle Bobby. I won't let you down."

Bobby smiled, kissing the top of her head.

 **SPN**

Sam twisted his neck back and forth as he emerged from the bathroom, his muscles strained from sitting up so long in the car. They were currently making a pit stop at one of the hotels in Joliet, Illinois where they had found a case.

"I didn't know you liked fairytales so much," Sam mentioned as he plopped down on one of the beds next to his baby sister.

"Mhmm," was Emmy's distracted response. She never realized how little she knew about the supernatural world until she started reading the book. The creatures she knew about were nothing compared to the millions of monsters roaming the earth. She would be lying if she said it didn't frighten her knowing that these things were somewhere, luring in the dark, unbeknownst to the majority of the people.

"Which one are you reading?" Sam wanted to know, inching closer to get a better look.

Emmy snapped out of it and closed the book before he could read anything, almost taking his nose.

Sam cocked an eyebrow. "Was that a picture of a werewolf?"

 _Oh crap._ "Uh, no." _Quick Emmy, think!_ "That was a wolf. You know, from The Little Red Riding Hood." _Nice save, Emmy._

"Oh, okay," Sam nodded slowly. "You mind if I take a look."

Emmy shoved the book under her pillow. "Actually, yeah I do mind."

"What? Why," Sam laughed softly.

"You won't let me near your books and computer either."

"That's not always true, it depends on what I'm reading," he defended.

"Oh really?" Emmy crossed her arms over her flat chest, ready to challenge him. "So, care to tell me more about this so called _Djinn_?" She had caught her brother reading about it since they got here. Sam thought it might explain the mysterious disappearances.

"It's a type of demon."

"What does it look like? What's with the victims going awol? What does it do to them? How do you kill it?"

Sam chuckled. "Okay now you're entering forbidden territory, you know we don't discuss our hunts with you, Emmy."

"Fine, have it your way then." She picked up her book again, holding it out of his view. "From now on, this book is also forbidden territory."

Sam was about to argue when he heard a police siren in the distance. Jumping to his feet, he cursed under his breath when the police car pulled up at the parking lot.

"What's wrong?" Emmy asked, watching as her brother peeked through the window. She climbed out of the bed but stopped dead in her tracks when Sam held his hand up.

"Stay there, honey." Sam fiddled with his phone, nervously dialing their brother who was on his way getting some grub.

" _Yeah?"_ Dean answered, Lynyrd Skynyrd playing in the background.

"There's a cop car outside," Sam rushed out.

" _You think it's for us?"_

"Sammy – "

"Emmy, shh," Sam cut her off, "I don't know."

 _"_ _I don't see how. I mean we ditched the plates, the credit cards."_

"You find anything on the case?"

" _Still looking."_

Sam wet his lips, concentrated on the cop car. He let out a breathe he didn't even know he was holding when the car started driving away. "They're leaving. False alarm."

 _"_ _Well, see. Nothing to worry about."_

Sam moved away from the curtains, his eyes trailing to his sister who had switched her attention to her book yet again. "Yeah, being fugitives," he whispered, "Frigging dance party."

Dean chuckled. _"Hey man, girls dig the danger vibe."_

"Not all girls," he said quietly, smiling a bit when Emmy absently scrunched up her button nose as she was reading.

Dean's sigh resulted in a rustic sound through the speaker. _"She asking questions?"_

"Not yet. We should just tell her, Dean."

 _"_ _I'm not dragging her down with us, Sam."_ Dean's final statement was followed by the click sound of him hanging up.

"What was that all about?" Emmy called out, never looking away from a chapter about Djinns. She internally gulped as her eyes scanned the humanoid creature with tattooed skin and electric eyes. These bastards looked scary.

Sam scratched the back of his neck as he tucked his phone back in his pocket. "Uh, nothing for you to worry about."

"You guys never told me how you got out of prison."

Sam stared at the back of her head, trying to think of a quick explanation that wasn't the exact truth. "Well, you see – what happened is that – "

"It's okay, I don't need to know," she interrupted.

"You don't wanna know?"

"Nope."

Emmy wasn't stupid, she knew what she was doing. She was past the point of asking anything to her brothers, she was sick of getting half-truths and lies. The less she questioned them, the less they would question her. It's a win-win.

Sam was baffled. That was a first. "If that's what you want …"

"Yes, now shh, I'm trynna read this."

 _"…_ _Contemporary lore depicts them as genies and are able to read a person's mind to learn their deepest desires; however, the djinn do not truly grant wishes like the genies of lore. Instead, using their poison, the Djinn causes hallucinations so powerful that the immobilized victim thinks he or she is actually living in the reality the Djinn implanted._ _"_

Emmy slowly turned the page, wondering what kinda reality the Djinn would implant in her head. It couldn't be worse than the life she was living now…

 **SPN**

That night, the siblings were eating around the small kitchen table while doing some research about some victims disappearing. So far they came up with nothing, there was no connection between the vics. Meanwhile, Emmy pulled a face when she shoved a forkful of salad in her mouth. She swore that the vegetables in it were not what they claimed to be. She took a bite of something that looked like a piece of apple. Apples weren't supposed to taste spicy, right? Oh, no wait, those were not apples.

"What's this?"

Sam looked up from reading their dad's journal. "Radish."

"I don't like it." She put the vegetable back and stabbed something white with her fork. "What's this?"

"Cabbage."

Looking at it in disgust she put it back. "Yuck, I don't like it either. And what's this?"

Sam but the journal down with a sigh. "Emmy, stop asking questions just eat your salad."

She slumped her shoulders in defeat. "You told me I only had to take a couple bites and I could eat my burger."

"I said _ten_ bites. And how many bites did you take?" he challenged.

"Two," she mumbled, barely audible.

Dean rolled his eyes. "Sam, cut her some slack. Here's your burger cutie pie," he winked at her, ignoring the stink eye he was receiving from his brother. Dean of all people understood his sister's dislike towards anything healthy, he wasn't going to watch her suffer through more.

Sam shook his head, and Emmy guessed he wasn't in the mood to argue because he didn't say anything. She saw he had picked up another book that sparked her interest. _Djinn_ was the title and she made a mental note to read some more about it in Bobby's book.

"So you got anything from this afternoon?" Sam asked.

Dean snorted through a mouthful of fries and it took everything in Emmy not to cringe. "Are you kidding me? How could I? You had me sifting through like fifty square miles of real estate."

"Well, that's where all the victims disappeared."

Dean bunched up his tissues in a ball. "Yeah well, I got diddly-squat." He threw the paper at Emmy's face. The little girl looked up at him with a look that said _what are you, five?_ Turning back his attention to his brother who was still buried deep in his books, Dean cleared his throat. "What about you, did you find anything?"

"Just one thing. I'm pretty sure of it now," he muttered distractedly. Pushing one of the books towards his brother, he pointed at something on the page. "We're hunting a Djinn."

Dean's eyebrows shot up. "A freaking genie?"

"Yeah."

"What? You think these suckers can really grant wishes?"

Emmy pondered over Dean's words. A wish? She could think of some wished she'd like to make. Have her Mom and Dad back, a normal life with no monsters, boring friends, a dog, going to school every day, no family business, not having to constantly worry about the people she loved, brothers that acted like brothers instead of your parents, … Emmy could go on and on, the list was endless.

Sam rubbed at his forehead, smoothing down the lines. "I don't know. I guess they're powerful enough. But not exactly like Barbara Eden in harem pants. I mean, Djinn have been feeding off people for centuries. They're all over the Koran."

"My god," Dean was looking up at the ceiling, a dreamy look on his face. "Barbara Eden was hot, wasn't she? Way hotter than that Bewitched chick."

Emmy took the paper ball and threw it back at his face. "You're not paying attention again." Dean being the immature adult he was, pulled a funny face causing Emmy to stick out her tongue.

"It's like dealing with two children," Sam said quietly to himself.

Dean cleared his throat again. "So uh, where do the Djinns lair up?"

"Ruins usually," Sam answered.

Emmy took a sip from her water. "They prefer to live in large places, makes it easier to hide." Earning a look from both her brothers, she took her bottle taking another sip to shut her mouth.

"You know," Dean started, tapping his fingers on the wooden surface of the table, "I think I saw a place a couple miles back. I'm gonna go check it out."

Sam started gathering his stuff. "Alright, just let me get ready first."

"Nah, I'm sure it's nothing. I just wanna take a look around," Dean reassured him.

"Can I go?" Emmy trailed behind her oldest brother as he put on his leather jacket. "Please? I can help."

Dean grabbed her face, squeezing her cheeks together. "It's almost your bedtime, baby."

"No, it's not," was her muffled reply before pushing his hands away. "I got more than an hour left. And you said you'll only take a look, I can help you take a look."

The brothers exchanged a look. It wasn't like they had a lead or anything, they were merely covering all the bases to make sure that this case was something they could work on. So far, they hadn't gotten a clue. Maybe they weren't even looking in the right direction. This hunt might not even involve anything supernatural.

"Fine," Dean sighed. Before Emmy could show her excitement, he grabbed her face again, pulling it close to his. "No wandering off, you stick with me at all times. And you listen to every word I tell you, okiedokie?"

"Okiedokie," she giggled.

 **SPN**

"How do you kill it?" Emmy asked as she wandered around through an abandoned office, her fingers playing with an old typewriter.

"Silver knife dipped in lamb's blood," Dean said from the other room.

"I read somewhere that severe brain damage also gets the job done," she casually mentioned, shining her flashlight on the file cabinets.

"Oh yeah?" Dean was distracted by a dripping water sound but he couldn't the detect the origin of it. He made his way back to his sister, his flashlight lighting his way. "Where did you get all this information from anyway?"

Emmy pulled herself up on the desk, her casted foot throbbing from putting too much pressure on it for too long. "Uncle Bobby has the tendency of not cleaning up after himself."

"So you were snuffling around again, huh." Dean playfully flicked her nose. "Well I got bubkis, what do you say we get some ice cream and not share it with Mr. Healthfreak."

Emmy smiled, glad he didn't dwell on the subject. "You know I never turn down ice cream before bed."

Oh she was his sister alright, Dean thought as he let her climb on his back, giving her a piggy back ride to the Impala. Emmy covered her brother's eyes, giving him the directions step by step. It was something they used to play all the time when they were younger.

"Now keep walking straight. Okay stop, watch your feet, there's a little step there. Good, now take another five steps before turning to your left." Emmy laughed when her brother miscalculated his steps causing him to bump his shoulder against the wall.

"Hey don't make fun of disabled people, I'm blind remember?" Dean chastised with a teasing tone. "What's the next step."

"Now you go right ahead and – " Emmy stopped midsentence.

"And what?"

Emmy could've sworn she saw a blue light in the corner of the room. A blue spark that briefly lighted the darkness. "Dean I think I saw something."

Removing her hands from his eyes, hunter mode kicked in. Dean looked around the empty offices as he carefully put his sister down. "What did you see?"

"I don't know, like a blue light or something." Emmy stayed close to her brother and nearly jumped out of her skin when she heard the slam of a door.

Dean's hand automatically went to his gun. He grabbed his car keys with his other hand, pushing them in his sister's hands. "Emmy, sweetheart, get back to the car and lock it. Don't open it until I get back."

"Do you want me to call Sammy?" she asked, her eyes switching between his green eyes and the spot where she saw the blue spark.

"No, not yet. Wait ten minutes. It might be nothing but I need to make sure first."

Emmy was nervously fidgeting, not wanting to leave her brother behind. "You sure?"

"I'm sure." Touched by her concern, Dean cupped the back of her head, dropping a kiss on her brow. "Hurry up now."

With one last look at her brother, Emmy jogged her way back to the Impala. Her casted foot was still throbbing as she got down a flight of stairs. The abandoned building didn't provide any light and her flashlight was for some reason giving up on her. She hit and shook the stupid thing, hoping the batteries wouldn't give out until she made it to the car.

Emmy just arrived at the Impala when the flashlight went out. "Great, frigging great," she muttered. Without any light it was hard to unlock the car. Using her fingertips, she searched for the right spot to stick the key. "Oh come on!" she grumbled. Getting fed up, she fetched her phone from her pocket. Before she had the chance to find the flashlight, Emmy was suddenly bathed in a blue glow. She could suddenly see her own reflection on the car window. Wanting to know where the sudden light came from, she slowly turned around.

Emmy gasped when she came face to face with a pair of cerulean eyes. She tried to look away but the cobalt eyes sucked her right in. She felt herself sinking into the blue ocean, gasping for breath as she drowned in an enormous dark pit. Emmy could barely make out a glowing hand, she thought it was going to help her out but only felt it push her deeper until she could no longer swim her way out of it.

 ** _A/N: beautiful, beautiful people. I missed you guys to death! I know I disappeared for a long long time and I apologize from the bottom of my heart. I don't want to get into detail but to summarize, 2016 was the worst year of my life. I had to take a much needed break just to clear my head. But I'm back now, and I'm slowly working to get everything back to normal again. I can't express how much I want to thank you guys for the sweet messages and love. You truly are amazing, each one of you. I hope I still got your support ..._**

 ** _Now back to the story, as you can see I skipped an episode for obvious reasons (I couldn't think of anything to explain Emmy's presence in a prison., that's just crazy). Anyway I wasn't planning on posting this chapter yet until I saw I'd reached more than 6K words. So I decided to split this one in two. I'll try my best to finish the second part asap. But first, since you guys are the best ever, I wanted to ask if there's anything you guys wanted to happen in the next part. As you can guess, Emmy's been caught by the Djinn. If you have any idea of how her reality should look, let me know and I'll do my best ;)_**

 _ **I don't know if anyone's still reading this story, but if you are THANK YOU! Don't forget to follow/favorite/comment, I'd love to hear from you guys.**_

 ** _Ik hou van jullie (I love you in Dutch) XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_**

 ** _PS: what do you think of my new covers :)_**


	20. What Is and What Should Never Be, pt 2

**Disclaimer: Supernatural doesn't belong to me. I only own my OC Mary-Elisabeth "Emmy" Winchester.**

 _Mhmm, the sheets smell nice,_ Emmy thought as she buried her head deeper into the pillow, _and soft._ Something had woken her up but she still felt tired and forced herself to go back to sleep. She couldn't recall ever liking the scent or texture of motel linen. Motels usually didn't invest in fabric softeners or anything really.

 _"_ _Stop lying to me!"_

 _"_ _I'm not lying to you!"_

Emmy let out a short, irritated sigh. Now she knew what had roused her in the first place. She grabbed the covers, pulling them over her head in an attempt to block their voices. Maybe it was just a couple fighting next door again. It wouldn't be the first time, motels seem to be the perfect place for that for some unknown reason.

 _"_ _Yes you are, I can see it in your eyes. And it wouldn't be the first time either."_

 _"_ _Really? Really. That happened like ten years ago, when are you gonna let this go, John?"_

 _"_ _How can I let something like that go, Mary? Tell me, how?"_

John? Mary? Emmy frowned, confusion settling in the pit of her stomach. Pulling the covers back, Emmy opened her eyes, only to be confronted with the color purple – _a lot_ of purple. In fact the walls were purple, the sheets were purple, the curtains were purple, even the picture frames were purple – _everything_ was purple.

"What the hell?"

Jumping out of bed, Emmy instantly felt the fuzzy texture of the carpet beneath her bare feet. Looking down she frowned deeper.

"Where's my cast?" she mumbled to herself. "And where the hell am I?"

Looking around the room, she felt like a stranger stalking around someone else's bedroom. But then why did she feel comfortable, why didn't she feel like an intruder, why did she feel … _at home_? Something on the white desk caught her attention, a collection of multiple pictures pinned on a pinboard. Once she got a closer look, Emmy nearly jumped back when she recognized her own face. In fact she recognized most of the faces.

A picture of her parents hugging her – the only picture Emmy had of her and both her parents was when she was just a baby, a memory too far away to even remember. But in this picture she was at least eight years old. Another one was of her and her brothers who looked somehow different. The rest of the pictures were of Emmy and her family and a bunch of kids of her age she didn't know.

Was this some kind of a joke. A prank, maybe? Or how about a dream? Emmy pinched herself hard in the arm.

"Ow," she hissed. Nope this was not a dream, this was real.

 _"_ _I told you already, I didn't do it!"_

 _"_ _Then how do you explain this, Mary? I'm dying to hear what you got."_

 _"_ _I don't know either! I'm as confused as you are."_

 _"_ _Stop lying."_

 _"_ _I'm_ not _lying dammit!"_

The more Emmy listened to the fighting people, the more she realized their voices didn't come from across the walls but from downstairs. Mustering up enough courage she slowly left the room, making her way down the hall to the stairs. She looked around the house that felt so familiar but she couldn't pinpoint why exactly. As she quietly made her way downstairs, her hand lingering on the wooden bannister, she observed another set of pictures hanging on the wall. Each member looked back at her with smiling faces, looking like a real happy family. Emmy had never seen so many pictures of her mother in her life. She had one image of her from the few pictures her father had saved from the fire and a memory of when she had seen her mother's ghost when they were back in Lawrence. That's when it suddenly dawned on her – this house looked familiar because she'd been here before. _This_ was the house her family lived in before it burned down.

Still in a daze, Emmy followed the sound of the voices until she ended up in the kitchen. There, right in front of her were her parents. Emmy froze. She swore time stood still and the world stopped turning. She could see their lips moving but no sound came out. The only thing she could hear was the sound of her own heartbeat. If this wasn't a dream but her parents were alive, then what was this?

"Oh honey, I'm so sorry. Did we wake you up again?"

Emmy could barely make a sound when Mary's hand brushed some hair out of her face, her thumb stroking her cheek. It was such a motherly thing to do that she could literally feel and hear her heart skip a beat.

"M-mom?" Swallowing hard, the ten year old found it difficult to find her voice. "D-dad?"

"Are you alright, baby girl? You look kinda pale."

Emmy looked up at her father in adoration. He called her _baby girl_. She never realized how much she missed him calling her baby girl. Hell, she even missed his voice, and the way he'd look at her like with so much love and devotion, a rare look he didn't give anyone else but her. She missed his deep voice and the way it would rumble through his chest. She missed the way he smelled – like liquor, musky perfume and those mints he always used to chew on.

John almost fell over when his daughter suddenly grabbed him tightly around the waist. Surprised, he hugged her back with one arm, using his other hand to feel her forehead.

"You do feel a little warm to the touch. You sure you okay, Emmy?"

"I'll go get her something," Mary started to say when a small hand suddenly grabbed hers.

"No stay," Emmy pleaded against her father's chest. She pulled her mother closer until she could wrap both her arms around her parents. "Just stay. Stay right here."

John and Mary shared a look, confused about their daughter's strange behavior.

 **SPN**

Emmy couldn't look away from her mother. She observed every little thing she did – the way she'd wipe her hands on her apron, the way she'd take a sip from her coffee, how she tucked her hair behind her ear, how those little crow's feet around her eyes appeared whenever she smiled. Emmy wanted to memorize all of it – the waves of her blonde hair, the sound of her voice, the flowery smell, the golden flecks in her blue eyes, the barely visible cleft in her chin. Emmy finally understood what her brothers and father used to see in her, there was no doubt that she was the spitting image of her mother.

She tried not to worry about the fact that this was beyond weird. She couldn't come up with an explanation as to why she was sitting next to her father, eating breakfast while her mother was baking pancakes. And frankly, she didn't even care. This right here was everything she ever wanted, she wasn't one to look a gift horse in the mouth. For once, she didn't question it and allowed herself to just enjoy this rare and precious moment. If it turns out that this was all just a dream then so be it. At least it was a beautiful dream.

"Emmy, finish your breakfast honey," said Mary, pulling her out of her train of thoughts. "Your father's gonna drop you of at school in fifteen and you still have to get dressed."

Emmy bit her bottom lip. "Can I stay home today? I'm not really feeling well."

John's eyes peeked at her from over the top of his paper. With his eyebrow cocked, his face was all _'Really … ?'_

The expression was so nostalgic, Emmy couldn't help but cover her smile. Her father could always see right through her lies.

"I suppose you could miss one day." Mary grabbed the phone on the counter and dialed a number. "I'm gonna let the school now."

"Well then, if I don't have to drop you off, I might as well get to work. The sooner I begin, the sooner I'll be back home."

Emmy watched her father stand up as he took a last sip from his coffee. She didn't want him to leave, like ever if she had a say in it. "Uh, wait Dad! Can't you uh, can't you stay home too? Please."

John chuckled. "I can't, baby, I have work to do. People are depending on me."

That last sentence was the exact same thing he'd tell her whenever he used to leave for days on end. And he'd come back disgruntled and bruised, never bothering to give her an explanation. But this John wasn't a hunter – his hands were too soft, his face was smooth and his eyes weren't hard. Emmy wondered what kinda job her father had but hadn't yet thought of a way to ask him without rising suspicion.

"Why don't you call in sick," she suggested. "Just today."

"Don't be silly. Maybe another time." John leaned in to kiss the top of her head and Emmy instantly missed his touch the second he pulled away.

She watched as her father exchanged some hushed words with her mother. Mary nodded, looking quite irritable. John leaned over to peck her lips but she turned last minute, his kiss landing on her cheek. Emmy frowned, wondering what was going on between her parents. She heard them bickering earlier on but was curious about the reason behind it all.

"See you girls tonight."

"Bye!" Emmy ran to give her father one last hug before releasing him. As she watched him get in his car, she was disappointed that the car wasn't as cool as the Impala. It was weird seeing him drive a car that wasn't the car she called home. She waved, already hating the fact he'd left after having spent only an hour with him.

"Emmy, get inside before you catch a cold!"

Emmy couldn't help but smile. She never knew she'd be so happy to hear her mother say those words. Hell, she wouldn't even mind if Mary was angry with her right now, or disappointed or sad – she was willing to give anything to have her mother acting like a mother supposed to.

"What are you smiling about, huh?" Mary questioned fondly as she cleaned up the table.

"Nothing. I'm just really happy."

"Well, seeing you so happy, makes me happy too." Grabbing her daughter's face, she dropped a loving kiss on her nose.

If anyone wondered what heaven was like, this was it, Emmy thought.

 **SPN**

"Don't you have to go to work today?" Emmy asked as she helped her mother cut some vegetables. Usually she'd be opposed to any kind of healthy food but for once she was going to act like the perfect daughter that ate whatever she was served.

"You know Wednesday is usually my day off," Mary reminded her.

"Right, I forgot." Emmy pursed her lips, wondering how she could subtly ask her mother what job she had. "So uh, I have this assignment for my English class. We have to write an essay about our parent's jobs. So what is it that you like about yours, Mom?" God, she'd never get used to saying that. _Mom, Mom, Mom, Mom –_ she would say it all day long if she could.

"Oh you know, the joy on people's faces whenever I help them. It feels good knowing that you can make a difference in someone's life. I mean it gets hard sometimes, especially when you realize you can't always save everyone, that's the only downside of it. And the occasional night shifts," she half-laughed.

Emmy tried to put two and two together. "So you're uh, happy with being a – " she trailed off, not really sure what to say.

"You know your grandmother wasn't happy with it first."

Trying not to focus on the thought of her grandmother, Emmy cleared her throat. "Happy with what?"

"With being a nurse," she clarified.

 _Oh_. _A nurse._

"She wanted me to study at college, become a doctor, get a PhD." Mary shook her head, as if merely the thought amused her.

"So why didn't you," Emmy wanted to know.

"I met your father. Got a little distracted." Mary sighed, putting her knife aside as she put the vegetables in the pan. "He was the most handsome man I had ever seen, I was instantly smitten. My father called it puppy love, said that it was just a crush that wouldn't last more than a month. Yet, twenty eight years later …" Mary absently twisted her ring on her left hand.

"You love Dad?" Emmy recalled their fight that morning and needed to make sure.

"Of course I do, with all my heart. He was my first love and I can't even imagine being with someone else. I wish your father could see that, too," she mumbled the last part mostly to herself and Emmy wasn't sure if she had heard it correctly.

"Is that why you're fighting? He thinks you don't love him anymore?"

Mary's lips formed a solemn smile and Emmy was momentarily stricken by how beautiful she looked even when she was sad.

"Your dad and I are just dealing with some stuff, but we'll get through, we always do," she smiled reassuringly.

As her mother leaned over to cut some more vegetables, Emmy suddenly caught the earrings Mary was wearing. Subconsciously touching her own ears, Emmy was surprised to feel hers were missing. The silver earrings her mother was wearing were the same ones her brother had given her for her tenth birthday. That's when it suddenly hit her – she'd been here for more than four hours and not once had she thought about her brothers. A sudden wave of guilt washed over her. Emmy had seen the pictures in her room, so she knew that Dean and Sam existed in this reality.

"So where's Sammy and Dean?"

Mary shot her a funny look. "At work, where else would they be."

"Right. Uh, are they coming over anytime soon?"

"This weekend."

"This weekend … " Emmy nodded slowly, not really knowing why her mother was looking at her like that.

"For my birthday," Mary finished her sentence. "We've been planning this for like a month, you haven't forgotten have you?"

"What, no, no. Of course not," Emmy laughed nervously. If her brothers were coming over this weekend and today was Wednesday, then that meant that she had to wait another three days to see them. She couldn't wait that long. "Can I go pay them a visit?"

Mary chuckled, the sound sweet to Emmy's ears. "You want me to just drop you off in California?"

"California?"

Marry eyed her daughter with light concern. "Palo Alto. You know, where Sam lives."

"Right, where he studies law … ?" Emmy tried.

"Four years ago maybe. He's a lawyer now, a busy one that has no time to bother to call every once in a while."

Emmy detected some resentment in her mother's voice. She herself couldn't understand why Sam would even live so far from home, that was so unlike him. But again, he did decide to leave the family when he made the decision to go the Stanford. But that was temporarily, he had planned on coming back – right? Emmy never dared to wonder if Sam would've come back if Dean hadn't called for his help.

"And what about Dean?"

"With him working at your Dad's garage and living with his high school sweetheart, I swear it's like your father and I all over again," she said with a fond smile.

"His high school sweetheart?" For some reason, Emmy couldn't imagine her oldest brother committing himself to one woman.

"Carmen." Mary walked over to her daughter. "Emmy are you sure you're feeling alright?"

Rubbing at her forehead, she nodded. "Yeah, just uh, a headache." She briefly closed her eyes as she felt her mother run her hand along the back of her head.

"Well if you're not better tomorrow, I'm taking you to the doctor's first thing."

"I'm okay, Mom."

 _I've never been better._

 **SPN**

So her mother was a nurse who got off on Wednesdays. Her Dad wasn't a hunter and worked at a garage. Dean lived nearby and worked together with their Dad and apparently had a long term girlfriend. Sam lived in California living the dream. And as for Emmy, well she had yet to learn more about herself.

She snuffled in her closet finding mostly pretty clothes, some of the dresses were too girly for her taste, others were just perfect. She had found some photo albums on her shelf and couldn't stop watching pictures of her growing up. It was so strange to see herself captured in moments she couldn't even remember, let alone imagine. Everyone looked so happy, and it struck her how she wasn't used to see their faces so happy, not even hers.

There was a box under her bed with all kinds of stuff – her iPod (Sam's), her silver necklace with the little butterfly which Emmy put back on, Johnny the teddy bear, and even her favorite hairclip. It made her feel better knowing that these objects still meant something to her in this alternative reality.

" _Emmy, can you get the door for me please!"_ Mary called from the living room.

"I'm coming!" Emmy practically flew down the stairs, earning an admonition from her mother to be more careful. It only made Emmy smile more.

Answering the door, she was surprised to see –

"Macy? What are you doing here?"

The black haired girl grinned cheerily. "I'm bringing your homework, silly."

Emmy accepted the binder with a little hesitation. "Oh, thanks."

"So how're you feeling?" Without being invited in, Macy walked inside with no worry in the world.

Closing the door behind her, Emmy watched the girl make herself at home. Apparently Macy and her were friends now? Great.

"Hey, Mrs. Winchester," she greeted.

Mary put a plate of cookies and a jar of milk on the coffee table. "Hey Macy! Thanks for bringing over Emmy's homework. How's your Mom, she still struggling with her shoulder?"

"No problem." Macy took a bite from her cookie. "And she is doing better, the doctor said she can take off her swing by the end of the week."

"That's good news. Tell her I'll call her tonight." Mary turned to Emmy who stood in the middle of the living room, looking like she was lost. "Come take a seat, honey. I'm sure Macy wouldn't mind filling you in on what you missed at school today."

Emmy never felt so out of place in her life before. She gingerly took a seat next to Macy, hugging the binder to her stomach, wishing she was holding Johnny instead.

"If you'll excuse me girls, I'm gonna do some laundry. You staying for dinner, Macy?"

"Oh no, thanks Mrs. Winchester. I already told my mom I'd help her tonight, she still can't do much with her shoulder."

"I understand." Mary nodded with a smile before disappearing. Emmy found herself watching her retreating back, whishing she'd stay.

"So you still haven't answered my question."

Emmy was confused. "What?"

"Are you feeling better? Tomorrow is the competition, we can't afford to lose this time."

"The competition?"

"Track!" Macy leaned in closer, searching Emmy's eyes. "You really are sick, huh? How else would you forget about tomorrow, you've been nagging on and on about it for the past few weeks."

Emmy's eyes widened slightly. Track? She ran track? She liked to run and her brothers always told her she was fast, but track? Wow.

"Don't worry, I'll be there tomorrow."

Macy clapped her hands. "Great! Anyway, you'll never guess what happened today. Emma kissed Aaron but she said it was only a peck on the cheek. But when I asked Leila she told me that the Morgan twins saw Emma kiss Victor, which is weird cause Victor is a bully and he still thinks girls have cooties. I think Emma was just making the kiss up cause she doesn't want to admit her crush on Victor. Also Charlotte was so rude today, she almost tripped me up in PE and then blamed it on my clumsiness. I'm not even clumsy, even though my dad says I am but that's not the point. Also you'll never guess what my brother did to my new bike …"

Emmy had long stopped listening when she suddenly felt an electric feeling all over her body. A tingling sensation pricking at her skin like hundreds of little bugs crawling all over her. She looked down at her hands, her eyes widening when she saw her veins pulsing, the color bluer than the sky. The lightbulb above her head suddenly popped, startling Emmy. She looked up when the lightbulb was flickering and gasped – the light was blue, why was it blue …

"Emmy!"

Being pulled back to reality. Emmy blinked, and everything around her was back to its normal color. The lightbulb above her head looked fine, nothing out of the ordinary.

"You spaced out," Macy said. "So as I was saying my dog killed the neighbor's rabbit again …"

Emmy pretended to listen when all she could think of was where she saw the blue light before.

 **SPN**

Who would've thought that Emmy would ever have the chance to enjoy dinner with both her parents. It was like God somehow decided to finally grant every wish she ever made in her lifetime. It was about damn time. Emmy found herself smiling through the evening, unable to mask the happiness when the only thought going through her head was ' _If this is some kind of a dream, I do sure hope no one ever wakes me up.'_

After being forced to bed – because Emmy wished she could glue herself to her parents if she could – she started with her bedtime ritual. Observing herself in the mirror, Emmy found herself looking at the face she'd been looking at her whole life. Yet something was different, something she noticed with the rest of the family too. It was the eyes, the windows to our soul. It seemed that everyone now had a twinkling spark, a spark they had long lost in the real world after everything they'd seen and been through. Emmy missed that spark.

Entering her purple bedroom, she nearly screamed when a man stood in front of her window.

"Shh, it's just me," he told her, his voice somehow comforting and familiar.

"Wait, I know you." Emmy squinted her blue eyes, taking in this chocolate brown-eyed man. "Gabriel!"

The angel staggered when she jumped in his arms, hugging the life out of him.

"I can't believe you're here, too!" This dream-thing kept getting better and better. "This is so awesome. Oh wait, I need to introduce you to my parents. I'm sure you haven't met them before, they're so _perfect_ , in fact everything is perfect. And my Mom, god my Mom is _sooo_ beautiful. Come on let's go see them. I'm sure they can't wait to hear all about – "

"Mary-Elisabeth!"

Momentarily taken aback by his strict voice, she frowned. His usual playful demeanor and mischievous twinkle in his eyes was absent.

"This is isn't what it looks like."

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"This doesn't strike you as weird? Haven't you asked yourself why all of this happening?" Gabriel realized he was going to have to work harder to get through to her. "How do you think you ended up here?"

"I-I thought this was just a dream," she stuttered. "This is just a dream right? Are you in my head again?"

"I am in your head," he confirmed, his voice laced with worry. "But this is not a dream, cupcake."

Feeling weak at the knees, Emmy felt like she had to sit down before she'd lose her balance. "I don't – I don't understand. What are you saying?"

Gabriel kneeled down in front of her, holding her hands in his. "What's the last thing you remember?"

She gulped, her mouth suddenly dry and her tongue too heavy to form any words. "I can't remember," she whispered.

The angel could detect fear slowly crawling up her spine. He kept his voice soft as to not set her off and scare her more. "Have you seen anything out of the ordinary?"

"You mean other than the fact that my parents are downstairs. _Alive_?" Emmy scoffed with no sign of amusement, her lips quivering. "Wait there was this weird thing earlier on today, I thought it was just my imagination …"

"What did you see," Gabriel pushed gently.

Emmy's frown deepened. "A blue light, I saw a blue light…" Meeting the angel's eyes, the truth and realization suddenly hit her so hard, she felt like someone had knocked the air out of her lungs. "The Djinn! Oh god, oh no no no. I-I-I can't –" she wheezed.

"Hey, calm down, just breathe. It's okay, sweetie," Gabriel soothed, rubbing her back. He continued holding her until she took even breaths. She was still trembling when he pulled back a little to catch her gaze. "Do you remember now?"

Emmy ran her shaky hands through her hair and down her necl. "I remember, I remember now," she said so softly, her voice just above a whisper. "Wait, Dean was there too. He was at the building, he – "

"The Djinn got to him, too," Gabriel cut her off, instantly reassuring her before she'd panic more. "But your brother Sam is looking for you two as we speak. Don't worry, you can make an end do all of this."

Emmy's head snapped up. No, she read in Bobby's book that the only way to escape from the fantasy universe is to … commit suicide.

"I don't wanna kill myself."

Gabriel felt the tug on his heartstrings as he heard her small voice, reminding him again that she was still just a little girl scared out of her wits. He retrieved her hands again that had subconsciously made their way to her teeth, a nervous habit she couldn't stop.

"Killing yourself won't work in your situation. The Djinn is feeding off on your blood, and let's just say that your blood is like a drug to any non-human being. It's making it stronger which makes it harder for you to escape this dream. But before you worry, let's not forget I'm an Archangel and there isn't anything I can't do," he smirked, his whimsical antics showing again. "Just close your eyes and grab my hand – "

"No!" Emmy jumped away from him, her hands clasped safely behind her back.

" _No?_ "

"No," she said again with a shake of her head. "I don't wanna go. Not yet."

Gabriel was stunned. "You do realize that this isn't the real world, do you? In the real world you're tight up, hanging by some rope while some blue hellspawn is trapping you in your own head, all the while feeding on your blood until he has sucked all the life right out of you."

Emmy blinked repeatedly at the tears pickling her eyes. "In the real world my parents are dead! In the real world my brothers are out there constantly risking their lives for strangers that don't even give a crap about what happens to them! In the real world there's monsters and demons that want something from me and I'm sick of having my family protecting me, I'm sick of losing the people I love, I'm sick of seeing them getting hurt! I hate the _real world_ , Gabriel, I hate it!"

An electric blue spark appeared out of nowhere, disappearing as quick as it came, bringing a deafening silence into the room.

"What was that?" Emmy questioned breathless.

"It's the Djinn. It knows you found out."

"Gabriel, please," she begged softly. "Just give me a few days. My Mom's birthday is this weekend and I'm really dying to see my brothers and just enjoy some family time."

Running his tongue along his front teeth, the angel wasn't fully persuaded yet. He followed a single tear rolling down her rosy cheek and again he couldn't ignore the pang in his heart.

"When am I ever gonna get the chance to spend some time with my parents again? This is literally a dream come true and I don't want it to end so soon. I know none of this is real but I really don't care right now, I just wanna enjoy it while it lasts."

Swallowing down the lump in his throat, Gabriel threw his head back, closing his eyes.

Emmy wiped away her tears with a sniff, waiting for his decision.

"Fine," he sighed much to his dismay. "But the soon this birthday party is over, I'm taking you out of here whether you like it or not. Your life is at stake."

Emmy nodded vigorously. "I know, I know. And thank you Gabriel, thank you so so much."

"Don't thank me. You're gonna regret this, Mary-Elisabeth."

"I won't."

"You will." He casted one last, regretful look at her and disappeared.

Emmy let out a long, heavy breath and fell backwards onto her bed. She let her hands roam over the covers, marveled at how everything felt so _real_ yet none of it was. She didn't know how long she was staring up at the ceiling, lost in her own thoughts, but she knew she wasn't going to get any sleep. She was about to grab Johnny out of the box when she remembered that before she got the teddy bear, someone else always succeeded at putting her to sleep, and that person was right here.

Tiptoeing down the hall, Emmy carefully pushed her parents' bedroom door open. The room was dark save for the moonlight seeping in through the curtains. She could make out her dad's soft snoring and her mother's chest gently moving with every slow breath she took.

"You alright baby girl?" John sat up slightly, throwing her a worried glance.

"Uh, I just couldn't fall asleep," she said quite timidly.

"C'mere," he whispered.

Emmy happily obliged as she wormed her way in between her parents' warm bodies. Her mother sleepily threw her arm around her waist while John buried his face in her hair. Emmy wanted to cry, she didn't want to miss this, she didn't ever want this to be the last time. Not when she had finally found a way to fill that hole in her tender heart.

 **SPN**

The rest of the week went by fast, too fast, and Emmy felt sad that the end of this dream was coming to an end until she remembered that she'd finally see her brothers. The past three days were uneventful and the youngest Winchester found out a lot about herself – apparently she loved track, hated school (even in this perfect world school sucked), the neighbor's dog adored her, oh and Macy and another girl named Amber were her best friends or _BFF's_ as they would put it. Emmy's life was boring compared to her real life but she never thought she'd enjoy boring this much. It was perfect.

John chuckled as he watched his daughter plastered to the window, waiting for her brothers. "Emmy, Sam called. His plane just landed so he won't be here until another hour or so."

"I know. I'm just so excited to see them."

John's eyebrows were raised in awe. "Really? I can't remember ever seeing you this excited to see your brothers before."

Emmy turned to face her father. "What do you mean? They're my brothers, of course I'd be happy to see them. I missed them."

"Well, that's a first," he mumbled under his breath as he continued setting the table.

"Are you saying I'm not close with Sammy and Dean?" Emmy couldn't even imagine not being close with them, those boys practically raised her. But then again, they didn't in this world…

"I mean, I think it's just normal," he said. "For one there's the age gap. Also brothers don't always get along with their little sisters, especially if said sister is only ten and they're practically men."

Emmy wanted to object, prove him wrong. Her age or her being a girl never tainted her relationship with her brothers. In fact it made it stronger – they were more protective and more caring towards her.

"You were only two when Dean already moved out of the house so you didn't really grow up with him. And Sam, well there wasn't much a sixteen year old could do with a toddler. And when you were four he went to California and pretty much stayed there."

Taking all of this information in, Emmy suddenly wasn't sure if she even looked forward to seeing her brothers. What if they were different, what if she didn't like them, or worse, what if they didn't love her?

Someone pulled up at their driveway and Emmy stared out of the window to see a pretty brunette with long legs jumping out of a black pick up. She looked so pretty with her warm eyes and gorgeous smile. Distracted by the woman, Emmy didn't even notice someone else had gotten out of the car too until she saw a man with dazzling green eyes, a trademark smirk and that laugh that always made her feel like nothing else could go wrong.

"Dean!"

Running to the door, she was surprised it didn't get off its hinges from how hard she pulled it open. Feeling like the luckiest girl in the world, she flung herself at her brother and squeezed him to death.

"God, I missed you so much," she said against his shoulder.

"Uh, okay?" Dean gently pulled him off of her but his sister didn't want to let go. "Emmy, get off."

Releasing her brother, Emmy's smile faltered a little when she realized he didn't even hug her back. Deciding not to dwell on it, she turned to the girl holding her brother's hand. "You must be Carmen."

"Yes, that must be me." The woman chuckled, sending her a weird look. "Unless you suddenly suffered from amnesia and forgot about me."

Emmy laughed nervously. "I was just messing with you."

"Alright," Dean broke the uncomfortable silence. "This is getting weird, let's get inside."

Emmy watched as the couple made small talk with her parents. Carmen never once detached herself from Dean and he always looked at her like she was the center of attention. Emmy felt a pang of jealousy. Fifty-two minutes and her brother hadn't even once glanced her way, all he noticed was his pretty girlfriend. But the ten year old realized that maybe it was because she wasn't used sharing her brother. She was willing to sacrifice anything if it meant he was happy, and he looked happy so that's all she wanted even if it did sting a little.

Deciding to at least make some effort to connect with him, Emmy tried an attempt to start small talk. "So Dean, how's work at the garage?"

"Great," he answered without bothering to look up from his phone.

"That's good." Emmy wasn't used to feeling awkward around her own brother. She always used to be able to talk to him and now she had no idea what to say. "How are things with Carmen?"

"Great."

"She looks really nice."

"Yeah, I know."

Emmy pursed her lips, this conversation was going nowhere so she decided to change tactics. "There's this kid in my school who's picking on me. He's calling me names and even pushed me once, I ended up scraping up my hands and knees."

"Uhu."

The Dean she knew wouldn't have sat there like she just told him the sky was blue. The Dean she knew, would've grabbed her hand and demanded her to take him to where this kid was to put the fear of God in him. Having enough of it, she stepped forward and snatched his phone out of his hands.

"Hey! Give that back," he exclaimed.

"You know it's rude not to make eye contact when a person's talking to you."

"Correction, you're the one talking to _me_. Not the other way around," he pointed out. "Now give my phone back."

Emmy scoffed. "You know I like _my_ Dean better, at least he always listened to me. Too bad you're not like him. It's funny cause he always used to say he was one of a kind and that there was only one of him in the world, guess he was right after all."

"What the hell are you talking about?" The oldest Winchester laughed. "Dodge ball at school hit you too hard on the head or something?"

Emmy narrowed her eyes at the her brother's look-alike.

"Now give me my phone back."

"No."

Dean rolled his eyes. "Give me my phone. Now!"

"Ask nicely."

Lunging at her, Dean grabbed her before she could ran away. Emmy had a déjà-vu of all those times her oldest brother would trap her and attack her with tickles. But this was not that Dean. She felt pain shoot at her wrist where he was holding her.

"Hey, that hurts. Let go," she struggled but he only pressed harder. "Ow!" Realizing he wasn't going to let go anytime soon despite of how much it hurt, she released her fingers around his stupid phone.

Dean smirked.

Emmy took an involuntary step back as she rubbed at the red skin of her wrist with tears welling up in her eyes.

"Oh come on don't be a baby," he rolled his eyes, before leaving the room.

Staring after her brother, Emmy couldn't believe what just happened. Did her brother just hurt her on purpose without a simple sorry? She never thought she'd say this, but she _hated_ this Dean.

 **SPN**

Fifteen minutes later, Emmy was helping her mother decorating the living room. Her wrist still hurt but she didn't dare tell her parents anything when Dean threw threatening looks her way. Emmy wasn't used to being on the receiving end and she didn't want to find out what her brother would do if she pushed his buttons.

"That would be Sam," Mary said when someone knocked on the door.

"I'll get it!"

Emmy eagerly made her way to the door, hoping that at least her other brother wouldn't be a total jerk. As soon as she lay eyes on someone she never thought she'd ever see, she gasped. Emmy almost felt honored that she had been given the chance to meet her in 'real life'. Pictures didn't do her any justice, she was far more beautiful with her blinding smile and perfect styled hair.

 _Jessica._

"Are you gonna let us in or what?"

Looking up at the man standing next to her, Emmy couldn't help but smile. "Sammy!" Giving him the same treatment she had given Dean, she was glad that at least he put some effort in hugging her back, even though the embrace was short lived.

He put her down and patted her head like she was some kid he didn't know. "It's Sam."

After helping him settle in their guest room, Emmy plopped down next to him on the couch. "So why California? Why not stay here in Lawrence, you can be a lawyer here too."

Sam shrugged, flipping his shaggy hair back as he turned a page in the book he was reading. "Nah, there's nothing here for me. Besides, I needed a change and change is good."

"But don't you miss us when you're away?"

"I call," he reminded her as if that was the perfect excuse.

"Not enough according to Mom." Emmy remembered the little comment Mary had made. "Is it because of Jessica? I mean I get it, you two have built your lives there, it wouldn't be fair if we told you to leave everything behind and come back. But I think it's hurting Mom that you kind of up and left, never bothering to check up on her. You should call her more often."

Sam huffed. "Why do you even care?"

Emmy tilted her head in question. "Why? Because you're my family and I love you. Duh."

"You never showed any interest in my life before."

"And I apologize for that." Emmy wished she could explain that she didn't do it on purpose, she couldn't be held accountable for the mistakes ' _Emmy'_ had made in this world. She literally only got here four days ago. "I just wish you'd spend more time with us, especially with Mom and Dad. They miss you, you know?"

"Why are you saying all of this? You're a child, I shouldn't even be listening to you." He dismissed her as he got back to his book.

"Hey! I'm not a child." If he had any idea of all the stuff she'd seen, he would change his mind. "I'm just trynna help."

"Well, don't. I don't need your help," he shot back in annoyance.

"But – "

"Emmy, just drop it, jeez." He shut her up and motioned her to leave. "Go away."

Emmy was wrong, both her brothers were assholes. She sucked in the hurt and kept reminding herself that this wasn't reality, no matter how bad she wanted. She asked herself what she would do to keep her parents by her side and it surprised her that she was willing to stick with these stupid and mean versions of her brothers if it meant that John and Mary would stay alive. Did that make her a bad person? Was she really capable of sacrificing her two overprotective and loving brothers for _this_?

 **SPN**

Sitting in between her parents in a dress that felt oddly comfortable, Emmy couldn't take her eyes off of the people sitting with her at the table. Everyone was chitchatting with each other about work, cars, weather, some new recipe they had found. Emmy could remember all those times she'd watch other families with envy, wishing she could be with all her family members without someone talking about victims, Latin incantations and ways to kill monsters. She still couldn't believe that the family she'd look at with resentment was now her family, and she was part of it.

Feeling someone's arm draped over the back of her shoulder, she looked up to see her father laugh at something Sam had said. Who would've thought that these two would ever get along so well. John caught her gaze and smiled down at her. Emmy's stomach did a little flip, no matter what universe they were in she was always going to be Daddy's girl.

"Emmy, you're not eating. Is the food cold?" Jessica asked concerned.

Emmy looked down at the gentle hand on her arm and smiled. She understood now why Sam loved her, he always used to say how caring and loving Jessica was. Emmy liked her too.

"Oh, I was just thinking about something," she said, getting back to her food.

"So how's school Emmy, you still first in track?" Carmen asked gently.

"School's just fine." Wiping her mouth with a napkin, she continued, "Our team won another race yesterday."

"That's great! Congratulations," Carmen beamed.

Emmy had to admit, her brothers chose their girlfriends wisely. They were very thoughtful and nice, not like the girls Dean hung around with who looked down at her like she was just some nuisance. The only thing that annoyed her was the fact that she was getting more attention from the ladies than her own brothers. Sam and Dean were caught up in a conversation with their Dad about something and she didn't fail to notice how they hadn't once started a conversation with her. Was John right? Did they really not get along?

It was weird to think that these versions of Sam and Dean were the same yet so different. They looked so normal in their suits, for once it wasn't because they were undercover. They also looked more at peace and rested, like the weight of the world wasn't on their shoulders anymore. It was a nice sight. Emmy also preferred them being happy even if it meant they weren't nearly like the real Dean and Sam.

"Mom, you alright?" Emmy leaned closer to her mother who hadn't said a word for a long time.

Mary stroked her daughter's cheek with a smile that didn't quite reach her gorgeous eyes. "I'm fine, honey."

The arm around Emmy's shoulder tensed and she looked up to notice her father clenching his teeth. She knew him all too well to know that something was up. Before she could get to the bottom of it, Sam demanded their attention.

"All right. Jess and I actually have another surprise for Mom's birthday." He glanced at his girlfriend with so much love. "You wanna tell 'em?"

The blonde looked at the people sitting around the table. "They're your family."

"All right," Sam sighed.

"What? Tell me what?" Mary smiled in anticipation.

Sam held up Jessica's left hand and as soon as Emmy caught the engagement ring she gasped.

 _No way._

Laughing happily, she found herself unable to move as she watched the rest congratulate the newlyweds. Emmy never thought in a million years she'd witness this moment. She was so happy her heart was going to burst.

Emmy couldn't get over how everyone was so _happy._ In her real world, happiness was a rare occurrence. Being happy never lasted long, it seemed like the Winchester family was cursed because every good thing always came to an end. But now, happiness seemed to be the rule.

As if on cue, a pair of warm eyes suddenly caught her attention over Sam's shoulder.

 _Gabriel_.

"No, no not yet," Emmy muttered. She excused herself and motioned for the angel to follow her to the hallway. She figured that no one had seen Gabriel because no one wondered why a stranger was in the house.

"You ready?" he asked as soon as they were alone.

"The night's not over yet," she pleaded desperately.

Gabriel didn't like this. "Emmy, you're in grave danger. If you wait any longer you'll end up in coma. You need to come with me _now._ "

Looking at her family, Emmy wanted to cry but this time not from happiness but mourning. She didn't want to say goodbye, she didn't want to miss them.

"Give me two more hours," she started when Gabriel groaned. "Please, two hours that's all I'm asking."

The angel grabbed her shoulders, hoping to knock some sense in her. "The longer you wait, the harder you make it for yourself to let go."

Emmy didn't realize she was crying until a sob escaped her lips. "I don't wanna go."

Gabriel's hands moved to cup her cheeks. He used his thumbs to wipe away the tears. "One of the hardest things to do in life, is letting go of what you thought was real."

"I don't wanna go," she sobbed.

"I know, sweetie, I know." Gabriel wrapped his arms around her, feeling sorry but knowing there was no other choice. "How about I give you one hour. One hour to bid farewell."

Sniffing, the young girl nodded, composing herself. "One hour."

 **SPN**

After cleaning up herself, making sure no one could see she had cried, Emmy joined her family again. As she walked through the kitchen she heard her parents' voices on the porch. By the looks of it they were arguing about something again and Emmy wondered if she even should feel bad when her encounter with the angel reminded her yet again that this wasn't real.

"They're at it again?"

Turning again, Emmy saw Dean grab a beer from the fridge. The way he'd opened the bottle and took the first gulp was so _Dean_ , it was confronting. She had also noticed that he wasn't wearing the amulet or their Dad's ring on his finger. She didn't want to admit it out loud but she missed the real Dean, _her_ Dean. The one that would let her eat candy before bed, the one that would always play with her hair, the one that would hold her like he never wanted to let go.

"They've been fighting a lot lately," she said, leaning against the counter.

"Nothing new there," he commented so offhandedly it bothered Emmy.

"What are they fighting about?"

Dean snorted. "Like you don't know."

"I don't," she persisted.

"Everybody knows, now cut the crap Emmy."

Emmy didn't like his tone, like she was somehow at fault for something she had nothing to do with. "I. Don't. Know." she repeated.

Dean returned the glare. "It's you Emmy. They're fighting about you!"

"W-what?"

"It's always been about you, since the day you were born."

Emmy took a step back as her brother stalked closer. "What are you even talking about? I didn't do anything."

"You were born!" Dean's eyes were blazing. Emmy had seen him throw that look at their enemies and they'd shake in their boots but she never had that look trained on her. "From day one, all you did was drive a wedge between Mom and Dad."

"You're lying!" Emmy was heartbroken, why would she even do such thing? All she ever wanted was her family to be happy, she'd never do anything to do the opposite.

"What's going on?" Sam questioned as he joined his siblings in the kitchen. It took one glance at his angry brother and crying sister and he didn't need to know more.

Dean forcefully put his beer on the counter causing Emmy to jump before he left without a second glance.

"You alright?"

Emmy wasn't surprised when Sam didn't even come closer, he kept his distance like he did all day. She wanted him to hold her, console her like the living teddy bear he was. But this wasn't _her_ Sam – her Sam always held her in his lap no matter how old she was, her Sam kissed her cheek every time she'd flash her dimples, her Sam reminded her she was loved every single day. The painful truth was that all these people were just strangers, a creation of a malevolent demon.

Looking at her parents still fighting, Emmy shook her head. "What did I do?"

Sam sighed. "You didn't do anything. You're just the constant reminder of a mistake our Mom made."

Emmy was confused. "What did she do?"

Sam looked uncomfortable. "Emmy you know what she did, don't make me say it."

"No, I don't. I wanna know. Tell me," she demanded, eyes hardened.

Rubbing the back of his neck he worked hard to avoid eye contact as he spoke. "You already know that you're … that you're not really uh, you're not exactly – "

"Oh, just spit it out, Sammy!" Emmy was getting fed up with this. She couldn't believe that even in this reality her brothers still kept secrets from her, it seems like not everything was so different after all.

"It's Sam," he reminded her. As if she cared. "And what I was going to say is that you're not a Winchester."

Emmy felt offended. "What's that even supposed to mean?"

"Do you need me to spell it out, paint a picture maybe," he spat. "You're not a Winchester Emmy! Dad is not your Dad!"

Did gravity suddenly mean nothing in this dream, because Emmy thought the floor was going to swallow her up. What kind of a sick, twisted reality was this? Wasn't the Djinn supposed to grant her wishes and create a world that was based on her dreams?

"They're talking about a divorce." Sam sounded unaffected, he wasn't aware of the bomb he just dropped on his little sister. "Just taught you should know."

"Shut up," she whispered. "Shut up, shut up, shut up!"

"Hey, what's wrong with you?"

"I said shut up! You're lying, you're all lying!" Emmy was so angry, she couldn't even think straight. How could they? How dare they insinuate that her father wasn't – _god,_ she couldn't even think it let alone picture it.

Not wanting to see Sam's face any second longer, or Dean's for that matter, she barged through the door to the porch. "Is it true?"

John and Mary looked at each other, not knowing what to say.

"It's not that hard of a question to answer, is it? Just say yes or no." Emmy waited but her parents didn't even have the audacity to meet her eyes. "IS IT TRUE?!"

Mary held up a hand. "Emmy, honey, calm down."

Not being in the right state of mind, Emmy pushed her mother's hand away. "How could you? _How could you._ "

"Baby, you gotta believe me," Mary pleaded. "It wasn't like that. I don't even know how this happened, I swear."

"Oh come on Mary," John scoffed, "Stop fooling yourself, everybody knows. We even took the test!"

Emmy blocked her parents' voices. This couldn't be happening, no this was not happening. This was supposed to be a beautiful dream and now it was turning into a nightmare. She started walking away when she bumped into Gabriel.

The angel offered her his hand but Emmy refused to take it. Instead she pushed him away from her, pointing an accusing finger at him. "You did this! This is all your fault!"

"Emmy, who is this?" John's voice sounded from the background but Emmy ignored her father.

"You didn't want me to stay so you ruined _everything_ ," she cried, filing claim with tears streaming down her cheeks. "You thought if you drove my parents apart I would give in. You thought if you made my brothers assholes, I would wanna leave. But did you have to do _this_?" at the last word she waved her hands around. "Why would you lie about that? My parents are _dead_ , Gabriel! Have some respect! My mother would never cheat on my Dad, never!"

The angel approached her slowly with hands held up high. "Mary-Elisabeth, I understand why you'd think this is all my doing, but it's not, alright? You made a wish, you wanted your parents alive and these are the consequences. Now I get why you're upset – "

"Don't try to put the blame on me!" she cried, not noticing how the rest of the family had joined them outside looking confused as hell. "And I'm not only upset, I'm _angry,_ disappointed, hurt and – "

Emmy didn't get to finish her rant when lighting struck above their heads – _blue lightning._

"Alright, we need to go _now!_ The Djinn knows I'm here, not let's move before he traps you here forever." Gabriel was about to grab her when John blocked his path.

"Stay away from her."

"I'm not coming with you, Gabriel!" Emmy refused, her voice drowned by the thunder. "I don't care what you did. This isn't real, this is all happening in my head so I can determine how this reality goes, I can change all of it if I want, I can I can …"

Gabriel's nostrils flared as he pushed John aside, ignoring the protests of the others. "Snap out of it, they are not your family, Mary-Elisabeth! Can't you see what's happening? You're getting attached, you're confusing this fantasy with reality, it's exactly what the Djinn wants! What about your _real brothers_ , what about Sam and Dean, huh? You're willing to trade them with these fake impersonators who are just a figment of your imagination?"

"I-I just, I just d-don't wanna l-leave them again," she sobbed. "Don't m-make me l-leave them a-again."

"Hey dude, you gotta go before I call the cops," Dean warned.

Gabriel never turned away from Emmy. "Come with me," he said softly, his face lighting up every time lightning struck.

"She's not going anywhere," Mary said through gritted teeth before turning to Emmy with so much care and love. "Come here, baby. Come to your mother. Don't you wanna stay with me?"

"Don't go, Emmy, please don't," Sam begged with his puppy dog eyes that always melted her on spot.

Dean shot her an apologetic look. "I'm sorry about what I did earlier. I'll make it up to you, sweetheart, I will."

Looking at her brothers who suddenly sounded like her real brothers so much, Emmy felt more conflicted than ever.

"I wanted you to be my bridesmaid," Jessica smiled at her.

"Baby girl?" John caught her eyes. "If you stay, I promise I won't ever leave you again. Stay, please…"

Emmy felt torn, she was being pulled in different directions and it hurt, it hurt oh so bad.

Gabriel grabbed her face, forcing her to look at him and only him. "Don't listen to them, Mary-Elisabeth. They're all in your head. This is all just a dream, a dream you can wake up from. Just say the word, say the word and I'll take you back to your real brothers."

Emmy's chest constricted with every sob, this was the hardest thing she ever had to do. She looked at her family, her beautiful and happy family. This was too good to be true and like an idiot she fell for it. She was so caught up in this fantasy she failed to forget one important thing. She was a Winchester, and Winchesters never get a shot at happiness.

With pain in her heart, she looked away from them. Meeting Gabriel's eyes, she nodded and in less than a second a pair of wings engulfed her. The last thing Emmy heard was the crack of the thunder, bathing them in a blue light.

 **SPN**

Sam usually was the one who was calm, he wasn't the type that panicked quickly. Usually it had a contagious effect on others, as if his power to keep his cool kept others cool too. But now, now Sam was far from composed. He'd been stressing out all night searching for his siblings. The moment he found them the relief was short-lived when he found them hanging from the ceiling with tubes in their throats, transporting their blood to blood bags. His brother and sister looked pale and frail due to the loss of blood and it worried Sam to no end when he thought of everything his father wrote about Djinn in his journal.

But first things first, Sam grabbed his sister around the waist before cutting her loose. He didn't like how she fell into his arms like a ragdoll, lifeless. He put her down, carefully pulling the tube out of her neck before doing the same to Dean. Sam was more concerned about Emmy than his brother – at least Dean knew about the Djinn, with his hunter skills he would find a way out, he was Dean dammit, he always found a way out.

But Emmy, poor Emmy…

Sam bit back the tears as he searched for her pulse, it was there but too faint for his liking. How was she supposed to dig her way out of this state she was put in? How the hell would she know how to put an end to this all? She couldn't possibly know that she had to kill herself in order to come back, and even if she did, she would never be able to do it.

With a gasp, Dean suddenly came to.

"Oh god," Sam let out a heavy sigh, shaking his brother. "Hey, _hey_ , you with me?"

Dean grunted, feeling like he got hit by a truck over and over again. Blinking, his view became less and less blurry until he could make out his brother's face. "Sam?" he whispered, and just like that he knew that was his Sammy, he just knew.

Sam swallowed hard, forcing his heart to be still. "Thank god. I thought I lost you for a second."

Dean groaned as he sat up, he momentarily had to close his eyes from the dizziness that washed over him. When he opened them again, his blood suddenly ran cold when he noticed his baby sister lying next to him.

"Oh no, no, no, no, no, no," he rambled as he grabbed his sister, shaking her. "Emmy! This can't be happening, _Emmy!"_

"Dean," Sam tried retaking his role as the calm one, but it was futile, Dean wasn't listening.

"C'mon baby, wake up," he grumbled, putting his ear on her chest, making sure she was breathing and alive. "I told her to get to the car, I _frigging_ told her!"

"I found the car keys on the ground next to the Impala, she made it but the Djinn got to her first." Sam put a hand on his brother's shoulder. "Dean … she doesn't know how to make it back."

Dean put his balled fist against his lips. "I should have never taken her with me." This was all his fault, he was stupid _stupid_ to bring her along. What was he thinking?

"Dean stop blaming yourself – "

"Shut up, Sam. Don't you say it, don't you _frigging_ say it." Dean wanted to smash something, kill something just to get this pent up anger out of his system.

"Wait, there is another way," Sam began, "We have to kill it."

"Great." Dean didn't waste a second as he got to his feet. "Where is the bastard?"

Sam looked around, keeping his hand on Emmy's cold wrist where he still focused on her pulse. "I think it's gone. It probably left when it saw me coming."

"Coward," Dean spat. "Where are you sonuvabitch?" he shouted, his voice echoing against the walls of the abandoned offices. "Why don't you show me your fugly face, come into the blue light!"

Sam wasn't sure if this tactic of his brother would work, he didn't think they'd stand a chance with a Djinn, let alone a pissed off Djinn.

"Dean," Sam said as he saw two bright blue eyes staring back at him in the shadows.

Dean saw and lunged at it with his knife, it was an erratic move from his part with no much thought causing him to miss. The Djinn materialized next to him, grabbing his throat before slamming him to the floor. Dean ignored the pain in his back and focused on getting his little sister back. This sonuvabitch was going to die.

The Djinn's glowing hand reached for his forehead and Dean struggled, not wanting a repeat of his dream. This time he was able to punch the creature away – it gave him enough time to retrieve his knife which had fallen out of his hand. The demon growled, managing to drag the Winchester up by his jacket, pinning him against the wall. Dean fought in the demon's hold until he had enough space to move his arm. He threw his hand up and stabbed it in its neck again and again and again until the light in its eyes went out. Wiping off the spatters of blood on his face, Dean turned to face his siblings.

Sam was holding their sister up who was coughing her lungs out. Dean knelt next to her, brushing her hair out of her face. _She's okay, she's okay, she's okay,_ he repeatedly thought, reassuring himself.

Emmy looked up at her brothers, her _real brothers_ and her heart ached just at the thought of how she considered for a moment to leave them. How selfish could she be? She was disgusted with herself, ashamed that she hadn't thought of how it would've affected them if she had decided to stay. She couldn't bring herself to look them in the eyes and started bursting in tears agains. She was crying for having to leave her parents even if they weren't real, and for the fact that she had betrayed her Sam and Dean.

"Oh honey, it's alright, you're gonna be okay," Sam cooed as he and Dean grabbed her in a warm embrace, rubbing her back and shaking shoulders.

"You're safe now, sweetheart," Dean whispered in her ear, repeatedly kissing the side of her face. "Shh, don't cry, we got you now."

Emmy looked over her brothers' shoulders to see Gabriel looking down at the Djinn's corpse. He met her eyes, offered a tight smile and a nod before vanishing into thin air.

 **SPN**

Dean was sitting on the edge of one of the hotel beds, flipping through a magazine. The corners of his lips twitched as he saw an ad with a woman lying on the beach, holding a beer – now he knew why Carmen, his lover, looked so familiar.

Sam emerged from the bathroom where he had helped his sister cover her cast so she could take a shower. Rolling his sleeves up on his arms, he grabbed two beers, handing one to his brother. "You all right?"

Dean never looked away from the stain on the carpet. "Yeah, I'm all right."

There was a pause but Sam decided not to fill it, giving his brother enough space to say whatever he wanted without any pressure.

"You should've seen it, Sam. Our lives. You were such a wussy."

A chuckle released itself from Sam's throat. "So we didn't get along then, huh?"

"Nah," Dean half-grinned.

"I thought it was supposed to be this perfect fantasy."

The grin fell from Dean's face as he thought of his fake reality. "It wasn't. It was just a wish. I wished for Mom to live. That Mom never died, we never went hunting and you and me just never uh … you know."

Sam looked at his brother who still hadn't made any eye contact. "Well, I'm glad we do. And I'm glad you dug yourself out, Dean. Most people wouldn't've had the strength, would have just stayed."

Dean laughed lightly with a shake of his head. "Yeah, lucky me … I gotta tell you though, man. You know, you had Jess. Mom was gonna have grandkids…"

Sam could practically feel his brother's anguish rolling off of him in waves. "Yeah, but Dean … it wasn't real."

"I know, I know," he claimed, pulling at the label of the bottle. "It's just, ever since Dad … all I can think about is how much this job's cost us. We've lost so much. We've sacrificed so much."

Sam couldn't disagree with that but Dean was forgetting the important part of their job. "People are alive because of you, Dean. It's worth it. It is. It's not fair and … you know, it hurts like hell but … it's worth it."

Dean finally looked away from the floor to stare at the bathroom door. Was it really worth it, he wondered. He hated putting his sister through all of this crap. She didn't deserve any of it, nothing. Protecting her proved to be a hard job but when you love someone you never give up on them. He hoped she realized how much they cared about her, how they didn't hurt her on purpose. He didn't think that little girl had any idea of how much they really loved her. If only he had the ability to let her see herself through his eyes, only then would she realize how special she was to them.

"Did she say anything?"

Sam shook his head. "No, nothing. I think she has a lot to process, poor thing."

"I wonder what kinda fantasy she landed," Dean wanted to know.

"Prolly one where Mom and Dad were still alive," Sam guessed.

It wouldn't surprise Dean. "You know … she wasn't in my fantasy."

"What?" Sam didn't understand.

Dean played with one of Emmy's bobby pins he had found on the table. "She didn't even exist, no one had ever heard of her."

Sam didn't know what to say. "But h-how? Isn't the whole purpose of these fantasies to show you what you want?"

"I figured Mom was still alive, which means no fire, no Yellow-Eyes, Mom didn't get pregnant, … no Emmy."

"You're saying that if it wasn't for _this_ ," Sam waved at their current situation, symbolizing their hunting life, "Emmy wouldn't even be here?"

"I guess." Dean always used to wonder how his life would've turned out if his Mom never died. But now that he found out that his wish came with a price, he didn't think he'd ever change the way things were if it meant Emmy wasn't in his life. That girl was the reason he woke up every day, she actually gave meaning to his life. A world with no Emmy, was a world Dean didn't want to live in, and by the looks of it, Sam was probably thinking the same.

"You know what this means?" Sam broke the silence. "There was a reason why Mom had another baby. Something or someone wanted her to conceive another child, maybe that's why …" Sam didn't want to say it out loud, Emmy's parentage was still a sore subject.

Dean didn't want to think about it. He'll be damned if his sister was brought in this forsaken world for a reason, like hell. Nothing's touching his sister, they had no right to use her or claim her, she was theirs dammit.

Sam cleared his throat. There was something else he'd been dying to tell his brother but didn't know when to tell him. Seeing as Emmy was still in the bedroom, he decided to get over it now before it was too late.

"Hey, Dean?"

"Mhmm."

"When Emmy woke up … it wasn't after you killed the Djinn."

Dean's head shot up to stare at his brother. "What are you saying?"

Wetting his lip, Sam clenched his jaw. "She, she was up before you killed it. The Djinn was strangling you and she, she woke up."

" _How_?" The only way to come back was to kill yourself and Dean felt sick to his stomach thinking of his sister doing such unspeakable act … or worse, what if someone else … "God, she must be traumatized, my little cutie pie."

Sam couldn't imagine it either but he suddenly couldn't wait for his sister to get out of the shower so he could hold her close again, and hopefully take all the pain away from her.

As if on cue, the bathroom door opened. Dressed in a Metallica t-shirt that reached her knees, Emmy limped her way into the room. Dropping her dirty clothes on the floor in a corner, she went to grab her hairbrush from her duffel bag, all the while feeling two pairs of eyes on her back. Turning around, Sam patted his lap, motioning for her to come sit with him.

Emmy obliged and handed him the brush. She closed her eyes as she felt the soothing strokes through her wet hair. The Sam in her fantasy would never offer to brush her hair. Emmy reminded herself that she needed to stop comparing her imaginary brothers with her real brothers. The alternative reality was just a dream and nothing more. She shouldn't get attached to some people that didn't even exist, not anymore.

"How are you holding up?" Sam suddenly asked, breaking her train of thoughts.

She shrugged at his question, not really knowing what to say. Physically she was fine, but mentally and emotionally? She really didn't know.

"Emmy."

Reopening her eyes, she caught a pair of green pools staring right back at her. She swallowed hard, telling herself that this Dean was _her_ Dean and not the Dean that was a total prick to her.

"Talk to us, sweetheart. How're you feeling?"

Emmy chewed on her bottom lip knowing that Dean wouldn't let go until he got an answer out of her. "I'm okay," she whispered.

Dean dropped his head in his hands, she may fool herself but not him. He raised that girl, spent every second of her life with her. He knew her better than he knew himself. "You're not okay, Emmy, don't lie to us. Why don't you tell us how you got out."

She bit harder on her lip to prevent it from trembling. "I-I don't remember."

The brothers had to strain their ears to hear her talk. Dean huffed. "What do you mean you don't remember? Think Emmy, _think_."

"I really don't remember," she repeated with a little more force.

Dean didn't believe a word she said, Sam wasn't convinced either but he didn't think now was the right time to discuss this. His baby sister had a lot to process, maybe she wasn't ready to tell them yet. And as the loyal brother he was, he'd wait until she was and be there to listen.

"Dean, not now," he cautioned softly as he finished Emmy's braid.

Rubbing a hand over his mouth, it took everything in Dean not to force the answers out of her. He just needed to know what she did and more importantly _how_ she did. He knew it was too late to do anything about it but it would put his mind at ease.

Emmy was aware of the tension in the room. She wished she could tell them about Gabriel but knew she couldn't. Confronted with Dean's protective side and Sam's gentle side, she was yet again assaulted with the fact that for a second she contemplated leaving her family for brothers that didn't even care about her and parents that she didn't even know.

Sam was the first to notice his sister's shaking shoulders, he instantly picked up on the sign and hugged her from behind as she silently cried. Nothing broke his heart more than seeing her sad and hurt, he really wished he could make whatever made her miserable go away.

Dean swallowed down the lump in his throat as he knelt beside her, he stroked her knuckles and kissed her little hand. He understood how she felt, he understood the pain of being ripped away from something or someone you loved. It's like fixing yourself after being broken only to be ripped apart again in pieces, and having no strength to heal yourself again. It was bad enough that she had to go through that too, but he couldn't stand seeing her like that. It made him want to turn time and prevent all of this from happening.

Feeling her brothers consoling presence was another stab in the heart as Emmy thought of how she ever wanted to give this up, even if it was only for a second. They should be angry with her for letting them down.

"I-I-I'm so s-sorry," she hiccupped.

Sam kissed her temple. "What are you sorry for, honey."

She hid her face with her hands, not wanting to see the disappointment on their faces. "I d-didn't want to go. I-I knew it wasn't real and I s-still wanted to s-stay. I-I'm so so _so_ sorry."

Dean could no longer keep the distance. He reached out and held her in his arms, squeezing her to him. He of all people knew exactly how she felt because there was a moment he thought of staying too. But he didn't, she didn't, they both didn't. What was she feeling sorry for? Like Sam said, a lot of people would've just stayed. She was so much stronger than she knew.

"Don't feel sorry," he said into her ear, feeling her small body shake. "You're here now, that's the only thing that matters."

Emmy nodded against his shoulder. She knew he was right but it was going to take a while for her to accept that. For now, she just wanted to be mad at herself until the guilt was gone.

Sam playfully pulled at her braid. "Tell us about your fantasy. Dean said I was a total wuss in his, don't tell me there was another Sam-wuss."

Emmy couldn't help but giggle a little. She pulled away from her oldest brother who kept his arms around her. "You were actually a jerk," she said as she blinked back her tears. "And so where you."

Dean's eyes widened in surprise. "Is it weird that I wanna punch myself?"

Emmy thought back of the bruise on her wrist and remembered she never got her payback. Punching the oldest Winchester's shoulder, she half-grinned when Dean hissed.

"I deserved that." He rubbed his shoulder even though he didn't feel a thing but he would gladly play along if it brought a smile to her cute little face.

"I saw Jessica," Emmy said, watching Sam's face light up for a second. "She was really pretty and nice, I couldn't understand what she saw in you though."

"I deserved that." Sam chuckled, copying his brother's words.

Emmy's smile widened a bit when she thought of someone else. "Mom was really beautiful. It was weird seeing her, she was so … "

"Real?" Dean offered. "Yeah, I know what you mean."

"Dad looked good, too," she added before frowning. "Did Mom and Dad fight a lot when you were younger."

"Not really," Sam said. He could only remember this one huge fight they had before Emmy was born. His Dad even left for a week. Now he knew why, he'd be pissed too if he found out his wife was pregnant with a child that wasn't his. "Why you asking?"

"In my dream they were constantly at each other's throats."

"For what reason?" Dean asked curiously.

Emmy fiddled with the hem of her brother's shirt. She didn't want to say it out loud, afraid that the lie would turn out truthful. But she shook her head, forcing herself to hear how ridiculous that was. "Apparently in my fantasy, I wasn't a Winchester. We shared the same mother but not father, which means we were half-siblings. It's stupid I know, Mom would never, she would never … you know. Forget about it."

Sam and Dean held each other's eyes for a full minute. _What the actual hell_. What kind of a sick joke was this? How did this secret end up in their sister's fantasy? The Djinn only used thoughts and memories from its victims and there was no way Emmy knew about this. Then who planted this in her head? The brothers were the only one that knew about it …

"It was just a dream right?"

Dean looked up at his sister's glistening eyes and had a flashback of staring at the same eyes. _Mary_ …

Sam cleared his throat. "Yeah, it was just a dream, honey. Just a dream…"

 ** _A/N: Thank you beautiful people for all the reviews/favorites/follows! Also thanks for the feedback, I received some pm's and comments on what I should do with this chapter. I tried to appease you all, so forgive me if this chapter didn't turn out the way you wanted… I'm dying to hear what you guys think of this one!_**

 ** _Ps: As Dean put it, the Djinn only uses people's experience, thoughts and memories when creating this alternative fantasies. I don't know if you guys remember the chapter where Emmy finds John's journal and reads it. She found out that there was something between her mom and dad and basically put the pieces together. So she knew her mother was "infidel" but then Gabriel appeared and told her she wasn't supposed to know, so he erased her memory. So I figured that the information might be lost to Emmy but it was still there in her head so that's how the Djinn got it. I don't know if that made any sense lol_**

 ** _LOVE YOU!_**


	21. All Hell Breaks Loose, pt1

**Disclaimer: Supernatural doesn't belong to me. I only own my OC Mary Elisabeth 'Emmy' Winchester.**

 **A/N: before you start reading, please understand that this is mostly AU. I'm sure you all know what happens to Sam and Dean in this episode, so I decided to focus on Emmy mostly. She has a story that needs to be told too, so this chapter will be mainly from her point of view. I hope you understand. Now please enjoy :)**

 _She looks like an angel,_ Gabriel thought as he watched the youngest Winchester. She was lying on her back on the grass, her blue eyes matching the sky above. Her light hair was spread around her head like a halo. A content smile tugged at her lips, she seemed so relaxed, so serene. The angel momentarily felt bad for interrupting her dream again, wishing she could just remain as peaceful as she was.

"I know you're here, Gabriel," Emmy said. A tingle always ran up her spine, alerting her of the angel's presence.

"What are we staring at, sweetie?" Gabriel moved to sit next to her, following her gaze to the sky, wondering what she was looking at that got her so fascinated.

"You see that cloud up there?" Emmy pointed to the right. "It looks like a lizard. But when you squint your eyes a little, it's a dragon spewing fire."

Gabriel snorted, amused. "I see a frog. And when I squint, it's a smoking frog."

Emmy giggled. "When I was three, Sammy used to say that clouds were just cotton candy for the birds. I used to dream of having wings, just so I could have the candy all to myself." She laughed at the memory.

"Hmm, wonder if they would taste as good as real cotton candy." With a flick of his wrist, he moved a cloud closer to where they were sitting.

Emmy sat upright, eyes widened as she watched the cloud move closer and closer until it was in arm's reach. With a little nudge, she reached out to take a little piece. She marveled at how sticky it felt and how sweet it smelt, just like actual cotton candy. With another encouraging nod from Gabriel, she decided to taste it.

A wide smile split her face in two as she savored the candy. "Best cotton candy ever!"

"Tastes like heaven, huh." The angel winked.

Emmy licked the tips of her fingers. "So why are you really in my dream? I assume it's not because you plan to transform these dandelions into lollipops."

"Just wanted to see how you're holding up," he said honestly as he picked up a flower, changing it into a candy stick.

Emmy looked away from his eyes. "I'm fine." It's been a week since the whole Djinn ordeal and she was ready to put this all behind her. She wasn't going to lie, the first few nights she did nothing but dream about her parents and the life she never had. When she'd wake up, a wave of disappointment would wash over her at the realization that this fantasy was just wishful thinking, nothing more. And then came the feelings of shame and regret that she ever considered giving up her _real_ family – two brothers that would die for her in a heartbeat.

"You still miss them." It wasn't a question but a statement.

Emmy nodded. "Can't stop wondering ' _what if'_ , you know? I'm really sorry by the way. I should've listened to you, instead I didn't and made everything worse."

Gabriel reached out to rub the back of her head in a show of comfort. "Don't be so hard on yourself. Only a few escape the Djinn's spell. You and your brother were one of them. If anything, you should be proud of yourself."

"Yeah right," she scoffed. "I didn't do anything. If it weren't for you I would still be stuck in that fantasy. There was no way that I could've found my way out. In fact I didn't even _want_ to go. I knew it was all fake, I knew everything was in my head, yet I didn't want to leave. I was prepared to just leave my real family behind for some imaginary life."

Letting out a long breath, the angel twirled the candy stick in his fingers. "It takes a lot of courage to do what you did, sugar. You knew that it was the Djinn messing with your head, yet you still let me take you away. Believe me, not a lot of people would do that."

"No, but I should've. I'm a Winchester," she reasoned. "Dean managed to get out and I'm sure that Sammy would've been able to do it too. I shouldn't've been so selfish." Her oldest brother never told her how he got out, but Emmy didn't need to hear it. She would've never been able to do what Dean had done. There was no way that she was strong enough to actually put an end to her life. It made her wonder how the scenario would've played out if there was no angel or brothers that came to the rescue.

"Stop comparing yourself to your grown ass brothers. You're just a kid, cupcake. Sam and Dean had years of training, the hunter life has hardened them. But don't for one second think that they never had obstacles in their way, or hard decisions to make."

Emmy absentmindedly played with the cotton candy still floating near her head. "It wasn't true, was it? The thing about my mom and dad?"

Gabriel didn't respond. Some things were better left unsaid.

"It wasn't you who did it either, huh?"

"No it wasn't me, Mary-Elisabeth."

She pursed her lips in thought, the wheels turning in her head. "Then why did it end the way it did? Aren't Djinns supposed to make your dreams come true, create this world where everything is perfect?"

"I don't know, Emmy, I really don't know." And that was the truth. The angel figured that something or someone must've tampered with her mind because the fantasy didn't turn out the way it was supposed to. He hadn't found out yet but he was determined to get to the bottom of this. Whoever or whatever it was, it wanted Emmy to find out about her parentage and he had yet to figure out the culprit.

A soft giggle escaped her lips. "You called me Emmy. You never called me that before."

"Really? Huh." Gabriel wasn't so sure how to react to that fact. To others it might seem like an insignificant detail, but to him it meant much more. He was getting attached and he had yet to figure out if that was a good thing or bad thing.

Emmy mistook his blank face and felt the need to assure him. "It's okay. You can call me Emmy, or anything you want really. In fact I think you're the only one who still calls me by my full name."

The angel smirked in a playful manner. "I think I'll stick to _pumpy-umpy-umpkin._ "

"You and your nicknames," she laughed. It reminded her of her own brothers who rarely called her by her name, instead using a form of endearment. She remembered once asking Dean why he calls her cutie pie. He explained that he loved her as much as he loved pie (if not more), only she was much more cuter – hence the nickname. The memory brought a tender smile to her lips.

After a moment of silence, Emmy looked up at the angel. She tilted her head to the side in question at the frown marring his face. "What's wrong?"

"Where are your brothers headed to?"

"I don't know," she shrugged. "All I know is that I fell asleep in the backseat of the Impala. Why?"

Gabriel stared up at the sky, past the cloudy shapes. It seemed like he was looking at something far beyond, something only visible to his celestial vision. He narrowed his hazel eyes in search of something when realization suddenly hit him. "It's gone," he mumbled under his breath.

"What's gone?" Emmy wanted to know, trying not to panic seeing his alarmed behavior.

The angel jumped to his feet. The young girl shrieked in surprise when he pulled her up with him. He put his palms on either side of her temples, his eyes closed. Emmy could see his eyeballs move under his eyelids and raised her eyebrows in confusion.

"This can't be happening," he whispered to himself, his hands pressing harder on her head. He suddenly let her go, taking a step back as he shook his head in denial. "It's gone … but _how_?"

"What are you talking about?" Emmy pressed, taking a step closer. There was something unnerving about watching an angel losing his cool.

"Your protection spell, it's gone!"

Emmy tried not to flinch at his sharp tone. "What protection spell?" She was starting to get tired of asking all these questions.

The angel pinched the bridge of his nose, his nostrils flaring in composed anger. "Your father made this necklace for you that protected you from other supernatural beings. But when Azazel broke it, your uncle and brothers couldn't fix it. So my Father ordered me to cloak you with a protection spell. It didn't have the same purpose like the necklace, since I was given the task to watch over you, I figured I'd only use a spell to protect you from Azazel … " As he was saying the words out loud, it suddenly dawned on him. It was Yellow Eyes. It was him all along. It wouldn't surprise him if he was the one that tinkered with the Djinn's fantasy, only the demon would benefit from revealing the secret to Emmy.

Gabriel cursed under his breath. "I warned that demon, I warned that bastard!"

Emmy swallowed hard. "But how? We haven't seen or heard of him since my Dad – " not wanting to finish that thought, she clamped her lips shut.

"I need you to do something for me." His hands were firmly holding her small shoulders as he bent down to get on her eye level. "In a minute you're going to wake up. You're going to tell your brothers to leave wherever they are, asap. I don't care what you tell them, just make sure you guys leave."

"And go where?"

"Hollywood, The North Pole, Jupiter – _I don't care_. Just tell them to get the hell out of dodge."

Emmy chewed on her bottom lip. This was all so confusing and she had so many questions but knew now was not the time to demand answers. She trusted Gabriel, he always did the right thing and he never has failed her. She couldn't stop to think of what had gotten him so alarmed though.

"Okay, I'll try my best."

"Good," he nodded. His gaze lingered on her eyes, the windows to her pure soul. He could see the tragedies lining up to strike her in the future. It was so unfair that she had to endure it all. But this was her destiny – even though the process will be hard and painful, he knew that it was God's will. He just hoped that she would be strong enough to keep her head held high. "I'm gonna make this right to you. I promise."

"… Okay?" Emmy wasn't sure what he was talking about, but decided that she'd ask him later when she got the chance.

Gabriel's hands slid up to cup her cheeks, making sure he got her undivided attention. "Whatever you do, do _not_ follow your brothers. Whatever happens, you do not follow them under any circumstances. Got it?"

"I will not follow my brothers," she repeated firmly.

The angel looked reluctant as he let her go. He shot her one last glance before he disappeared into thin air.

 **SPN**

Dean was tapping his fingers on the steering wheel as he softly hummed to AC/DC. He was parked at the gas station and would occasionally throw a glance at the convenience store where Sam had disappeared to pay, but it looked like his brother was taking his sweet time.

A movement from the backseat caught his attention. He turned in his seat, his leather jacket squeaking against the leather upholstery. A fond smile touched his lips as he watched his little sister wake up – small fists rubbing at her eyes, rosy cheeks, hair sticking out in every direction, and a groggy pout plastered on her cute, little face. How she could look even younger and more adorable, was still a mystery to Dean. It was like looking at a four year old Emmy all over again.

"Did I wake you up, cutie pie?" he questioned as he leaned over to lower the volume of the radio.

Emmy blinked the sleep out of her eyes as she leaned against the window. "Where are we?" she asked with a yawn. It was dark outside, the flickering neon lights where the only thing providing some illumination. The Impala looked eerily out of place in the abandoned parking lot.

"Gas station," Dean answered. "You alright sweetheart?" He didn't miss the nervousness flashing in her eyes, even if it was only for a millisecond.

Emmy turned and instantly took note of the empty passenger's seat. "Where's Sammy?" She didn't mean to sound startled but it still came out that way. She hoped her brother didn't pick up on it but this was Dean, the guy knew her better than anyone else.

"Inside." Dean frowned, reaching over the seat to cup her chin. "What's gotten you so wound up, huh?"

Looking away from his piercing green eyes, she again avoided his question. "Why is there nobody else in here?"

"Maybe because it's three in the morning." Dean studied her face closely. Something was wrong. "Now, stop changing the subject. Tell me what's wrong, Emmy."

"Nothing," she said quickly, maybe _too_ quickly.

"You had a bad dream again?"

 _Define bad,_ Emmy thought. Gabriel's words were still fresh in her mind, she had to find a way to get out of this place without stirring any questions. That was going to be hard.

"Emmy," Dean prompted. His stare fixed on her eyes in an attempt to catch her gaze.

"Uh, I-I just … uh. I don't feel good?" Her voice rose in pitch at the end of her sentence, causing it to come off like a question. On second thought, she instantly regretted suggesting it as soon as the words came out. Telling your overbearing brother you're sick, was not the smartest thing to do.

Dean's face softened. "Why didn't you say so? You feeling sick, do you wanna throw up? Tell me where it hurts, sweetheart."

Emmy felt kinda bad for getting him so worked up. Worried Dean was a challenge, at least now she had him eating out of the palm of her hand. She just had to figure out how she could get him to leave.

"I'm okay. I just need to lay down for a while … preferably in a bed," she hinted, hoping he'd catch on and drive them to nearest motel.

"C'mere." He helped her over the front seat, mindful of her casted foot. His calloused hands cupped her cheeks before they slid up to her forehead. "You're not running a fever, that's a good thing," he muttered more to himself.

The youngest Winchester pushed his hands away before he'd find out that she wasn't sick at all. "Why don't we just go now. I'll go get Sammy."

"Uh, you're not going anywhere. I thought you were too sick for that."

 _Crap._

"I am," she stated, refusing to back down.

Dean sighed. "Emmy, baby, you know better than to lie to me. Now, why don't you tell me what's really bugging you."

She opened her mouth, ready to say something but quickly mashed her lips shut. She couldn't exactly lie to him, he'd see right through her. "I'm just really tired," she said instead, it wasn't the whole truth but at least it wasn't a lie.

Dean searched her face, intent on figuring out what was bothering her. His little sister purposefully avoided his scrutinizing gaze and he knew that now may not be the right time or place, but he was still planning on getting to the bottom of this. He wasn't one to just back down, especially where his sister was concerned.

"Fine," he relented. "I'll call Sam and tell him to hurry up."

Emmy nodded, relieved, as she rested her head on his broad shoulder. She allowed him to ran his long fingers through her wild locks. The constant flickering of the sign above the store was distracting. For some reason it sent a shill down her spine. She didn't exactly now why Gabriel was hell bent on the fact that they had to shag ass but she had to agree that something was fishy about this place.

"He's not picking up," Dean grumbled.

Emmy tensed up. "Try again." That was not a good sign, that was _never_ a good sign.

Her brother noticed the trepidation shown in her behavior. Oh he was so going to grill her for answers later.

"I'll go get him." His words didn't do the trick as a light tremor washed over her body. Dean tipped her chin up. "Hey, it's alright."

"Just hurry up, okay?"

 _Something's definitely off,_ Dean thought. "I'm gonna get our brother and as soon as I'm back, you're gonna start answering my questions, got it?"

"Yeah, whatever, just be quick about it." Her eyes constantly darted from the automatic doors of the convenience store, back to her oldest brother.

Not wanting to stall this any longer, Dean leaned over to peck her button nose. "Be right back, and don't move."

Emmy hugged herself as she watched her brother's back until he disappeared. She hoped that by some miracle she'd actually get sick by the time he got back so she could play it all off on her sickness, because there was no way that she'd be able to lie to their faces. Her brothers could always read her like an open book, it was infuriating at times. She couldn't exactly tell them the truth either without giving away the angel. She groaned, conflicted, and forced herself to just focus on getting the three of them out of here first. She could deal with the rest later, maybe Gabriel would help her then.

Leaning up against the dashboard, Emmy's eyes never wavered from the entrance of the convenience store. How long does it take to pay for gas and just leave? Emmy hoped that Sam was only distracted by some pretty girl, and he just lost track of time. And now Dean was inside, trying to chat up the girl. That was the only best scenario Emmy could think of to explain their tardiness.

"Come on," she mumbled. After another five minutes she decided to count to sixty, if her brothers were not out by then, she was coming after them.

"One, two, three … twenty-two, twenty-three … thirty-nine, forty … fifty-five, fifty-six, fifty-seven, fifty-eight, fifty-nine …" Nibbling on her bottom lip, knees bouncing, Emmy looked fixedly at the entrance, but no Sam and no Dean. "Sixty… That's it, I'm going in."

Putting on her sneakers, she didn't bother with the shoestrings as she got out of the car. Emmy shuddered when a cold night wind blew through her hair. The smell of gasoline lingered in the air around the gas station causing her to bury her nose in her hoodie. Taking in her surroundings, she frowned at the familiarity of the place. The silence was deafening, not even the sound of a car or cricket could be heard. Dean implied that most people where in bed right now but she still couldn't shake off the strangeness of it.

A sizzling sound drew Emmy's attention to the badly lit neon lights on top of the store. The letters were barely holding on and only three of them were still on. She tried to make out the words but had no chance when the remaining lights suddenly exploded. She instinctively took a step back, wincing when a piece of glass left a small cut on her cheek. Emmy pressed a finger to her cheek and couldn't help but stare at the drop of blood on the pad of her thumb. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up as she experienced a déjà vu.

Hearing a sound, Emmy shivered as she caught a figure standing near one of the gas pumps. She wasn't sure if the man was facing her or not, he was just standing there with his hands tucked in his pockets.

"Hello?" she called out, her breath fogging in the cold night air.

The man didn't budge, nor did he gave any sign of hearing her. Emmy didn't know if he even acknowledged her but his presence was alarming. Taking no chances, she decided to get into the convenience store where her brothers were taking too long.

The glass doors opened automatically and a bell rang above her head as she entered. Emmy limped through the aisles, looking for her brothers.

"Sammy? Dean? Sammy?"

As she walked through the racks, her steps quickened until she was almost running. Emmy felt like being in a maze as she crossed the entrance for what felt like the hundredth time.

"You guys, this isn't funny!"

Emmy wished she could say she wasn't getting scared, but her trembling hands, her erratic breathing and her wild heartbeat proved otherwise. That feeling of being on the verge of losing nerve was too familiar. In fact this whole set up was familiar. Turning in circles, she recognized every small detail – from the cracks in the tiles to the price tags. She was here before, she could feel it. She couldn't remember when but she knew it didn't end well.

 _I need to get out of here._ With that thought she started for the door. The path to the doors seemed endless and she could swear that her cast felt like a thousand pounds. No matter how hard she tried, for some reason she couldn't walk any faster.

She almost reached the cash register and let out a breath of relief when she found someone sitting on a chair, reading something in his lap. She couldn't understand how she missed it before. "Oh, thank god," she sighed at the sight of the cashier. Her gut told her to go, go, go, go but her heart refused to leave without her brothers. Something was not right, it was enough to push all her panic buttons and ring every alarm bell, but Emmy wasn't going to abandon her brothers. They would never do the same either.

Breathless, she leaned up against the counter, resting her weight on her good foot. "Excuse me mister, have you seen my brothers? One tall guy with short hair and another taller guy with longer hair. One of them is wearing a leather jacket, the other's got a …" Emmy trailed off when she got no response. She snapped her fingers, "Excuse me!" But the man kept his head down, his chin pressed against his chest, his magazine resting on his belly.

" _Helloooo_!" she hit her hand against the counter, trying to get his attention but to no avail. She was about to raise her voice when something caught her eye. A trickle of red substance trailed down the man's throat. Emmy craned her neck, frowning when the man seemed to be bleeding out of his ears.

"Uh, mister? Are you okay?" Worry started to settle into the pit of her stomach. Emmy decided to crawl over the counter to reach the man. She lightly shook his shoulder but she didn't even get a single reaction. She then moved her hand to his neck, trying to feel his pulse. But as soon as her fingers moved up to his throat, the man's head slowly rolled back until it dropped to the floor, rolling away.

Emmy's mouth opened, too shocked to make a sound let alone breathe. When she finally found her voice, she couldn't hold off the bloodcurdling scream escaping her lips. She jumped off the counter, tripping over her own feet.

"Oh, no, no, no, no, no," she rambled as she picked herself up. "I remember, I remember now," she whispered. This was exactly like her dream, she dreamt about this before. Not once, but twice. Only this wasn't a dream, this was real. She gulped as she thought of how these dreams – _no, nightmares –_ played out. There was Gabriel who would save the day and … _Azazel._

The lights flickered, and Emmy's breath was visible through the sudden cold that washed over her. If she was shaking before, she was convulsing now at the thought of the cause of the sudden drop in temperature and shattered light bulbs. The air shifted and a whimper left her lips as she could feel a tingle running up her spine, the way it would when Gabriel was around. But this time the presence wasn't angelic, but demonic.

As she slowly turned, her breath hitched and her heart dropped. She was standing face to face with the one that caused all the pain to her family. He murdered her mother in cold blood, changed her father into a man that was blinded by his desire to avenge the love of his life, turned three siblings into orphans. He was the reason she didn't know what normal was, how a mother's love was like; he was the reason she could no longer hear her father's voice. He ruined their lives, he takes and takes and paid no attention to the damage he caused.

 _Yellow Eyes_. Emmy refused to give him the satisfaction of acknowledging him, his name tasted foul in her mouth. He was the same man standing in the gas station, she didn't recognize the meatsuit he was wearing now, and she only wished that the poor, possessed man wouldn't be disposed of like garbage as soon as Azazel was tired of him.

"Where are my brothers," she asked, hating how she couldn't compose herself enough to stop her voice from shaking.

Azazel laughed, the sound wicked and sickening. "Shouldn't you be worrying about yourself first? You damn Winchesters, always first to save someone else's bacon, like the hero you are. Tell me, what did you get out of it, huh? So far, only thing I see is the countless motels, zero thank you's, and the endless hours in that piece of metal."

 _Oh, Dean should've been here,_ Emmy thought. Her brother would've punched that nasty smirk right away.

"But I can give you more," he said in a tempting tone. "I can give you so much more, Mary-Elisabeth."

"I don't want anything from you."

A pair of golden eyes narrowed at her words. "Remember your mother? Remember how she smelt, how she sounded? I gave you a taste of it," he said, referring to the Djinn's fantasy. "I can give it all back, and more, much more. Just say the word."

Emmy wasn't going to fall into his trap, not again. She remembered that he needed her permission and there was no way in hell he was going to get it. Gabriel couldn't bring back what she had lost, and she doubted a demon could. She couldn't miss what she never had. She couldn't keep what was never hers. She couldn't hold onto something that didn't want to stay.

"Your words mean nothing to me, no matter how promising they sound, you will never get a _yes_ from me."

"You're a stubborn one, huh." He grinned, the smile never touching his creepy eyes. "Fine, you won't give me your consent, but I can give you something else. Why don't we make a deal."

Emmy snorted and she briefly asked herself where she got the nerve to mock a demon who could end her live in a heartbeat. "I've seen your deals and I've seen how they ended."

The demon started walking slowly, making circles around the youngest Winchester. Emmy felt like an animal trapped in a cage. She mirrored his movements and refused to break eye contact.

"I heard you got questions, a lot of questions. And believe it or not but I got an answer for every one of 'em."

Emmy had to admit that it sounded tempting. All her life she had questions and it seemed the older she got, the more questions she had but zero answers. What hurt her the most is that the people close to her had all the answers, yet no one offered them to her. _We want to protect you_ , her brother's voice rang in her head, even Gabriel insisted that it was all for her own good. It was hard to believe that they had her best interests at heart when she couldn't see anything good coming from all those secrets.

"What kinda questions?" Emmy asked, testing the demon. If he really knew all her questions, even the ones she never said out loud, then there must be some truth behind his promise.

"Why I killed Mommy dearest. Why her and not somebody else. Why Sam has his visions. Why Daddy kicked the bucket. How big brother woke up from his coma. What makes you so special. Why you have a winged guardian."

Every word coming out of the demon's mouth were like blows to the wall she had built up around her as protection. Azazel could see he was getting closer, he only had to continue saying what she wanted to hear. It was almost too easy.

"Why your soul is so pure. Why Johnny boy was acting strange right before he died. What his last words meant. The deal your mother made. Why I want you, why I chose you and your brother."

How did he know all these questions, Emmy wondered. She felt enraptured, spellbound, as she thought of the answers he would give her. She was dying to finally put the puzzle pieces together. A voice in her head told her to have patience, to remember Gabriel's words – he told her that there was a time and place for everything. But she was so tempted to just say _'screw it, I want answers now!_ ' If she really wasn't supposed to know, then where was Gabriel then? Where was he to stop Azazel?

"Why every creature is dying to have a taste of your blood. Why God has let all this horrible stuff happen to you and your family. Why you feel a connection to God, despite the fact He never listens to your prayers. Why Mommy got pregnant even after she made sure she would never conceive again. Why Dean ignored you for so long after John died."

The demon kept firing one question after the other, and to his satisfaction he watched her walls tumbling down. Her eyes were no longer following him, she had a far-off look in her eyes. He bet she was already seeing the possibility of having an answer to every question. And who thought that demons couldn't make dreams come true? _Got her_ , he thought smugly.

Still in a trance, Emmy didn't even realize how the demon had stopped walking circles around until his cold breath was fanning against her face.

"You want answers?" he whispered, his voice hypnotizing. "All the secrets your family's been hiding from you. It's not fair, you deserve better. I think you have a right to know, am I right?"

She nodded, entranced and unable to focus on his eyes.

"What kinda family keeps their precious girl in the dark? They should be ashamed, don't you think? All these years they have been lying to your face, they knew how much it hurt you, but did that change anything? No, they kept their lips sealed. How selfish."

Emmy wasn't sure, but she though she made a confirming sound, failing to notice how Azazel kept leaning closer and closer.

"You want to know why all of this is happening to you, huh?" His dry lips barely touched her ear as he whispered, "You want answers?"

"Yes."

The demon smirked against her skin, his yellow eyes radiating.

All of a sudden Emmy snapped out of her daze. She felt like someone suddenly turned the lights on, bringing clarity to the darkness and confusion. Aware of how close the demon was to her, she took a step back, almost tumbling over her feet. She blinked, trying to understand what was happening when she caught the demon's pleased and victorious smile.

Suddenly realizing what she had said, her eyes widened. She covered her mouth as if her hands could take back the words. "Oh no …" She felt sick to her stomach. "You tricked me!" she accused, not that it changed anything, it only made him chuckle pompously. "I-I take it back. I-I didn't mean to say yes, I didn't mean it," she cried, tears stinging her eyes, repeatedly shaking her head.

"There's no way back now," he told her as a matter of fact.

"No, please. I take it back," she sobbed.

"A little too late for that, doll. Also, you should've listened to that angel. Didn't he tell you not to follow your brothers?"

 _What have I done?_

 **SPN**

Dean was sure he broke every speed limit and ignored all traffic regulations as he sped down the road, on his way to meet up with Bobby. The sky was tinted pink and purple as the morning sun was beginning to light the day. Usually he would enjoy mornings like these – sitting behind the wheel, in touch with his baby; Def Leppard playing in the background, his fingers drumming with the beat; Sam would be snoring next to him, his tall frame crumpled in an odd position that couldn't have been comfortable; Emmy would be in the backseat, humming along to the song she grew up with, flashing him a breathtaking smile every time he caught her gaze through the rear-view mirror.

But as Dean snapped back to reality, he had to repeatedly blink to rid of the tears glistening in his eyes. There was no Def Leppard, just deafening silence; no Sam, just a cold, empty space next to him; and no Emmy's reflection in the mirror to remind him what the point was in living in this god forsaken world.

He sniffed, wincing at the pain emitting from the bump on the back of his head. He had grabbed a dirty shirt to clean up the blood, and when he pressed the cloth against the wound, there was still some blood oozing from it. He probably shouldn't even be driving as he might have suffered from a concussion, he did pass out for a while. But then again, head wounds always bled more than any other part of the body, so it may have been not so bad. Truth was, Dean didn't care, he didn't give a flying shit about whether he was two seconds away from dying or not. He was not going to sit down for his own wellbeing while his siblings were god knows where. They needed him and he'd be damned if he let a little cut get in his way.

The oldest Winchester still couldn't understand how he'd let it all happen, how he'd let a demon snatch his brother and sister right under his nose. Granted, he didn't actually let it happen, he was unconscious but that wasn't an excuse for Dean. He could've stopped it from happening if he had just listened to his little sister. For some reason she knew something was up, he saw it in her eyes and he wanted to hit himself for not paying closer attention. He had no idea how she knew though, maybe she had a dream about it, a vision like Sam. Or maybe she felt it, like a sixth sense. Either way, she _knew_ and he should've known too.

Dean rested his left arm near the window, his fingers pressed to his lips. He couldn't get the stench of sulfur out of his nose, there was no doubt that Azazel was behind this. Yellow Eyes was always out to get Sam and apparently the youngest Winchester too. Nothing stood in demon's way, not Mary, not John and not Dean either.

A touch of doubt kept tormenting Dean as he kept questioning himself if he had searched everywhere. He remembered entering the convenience store, looking for Sam, but his brother was nowhere to be found. And as soon as he noticed the sulfur, Dean made it his mission to leave and take his sister out of harm's way. Only he never got the chance to take a step as everything suddenly faded into black. He woke up a while later, several miles away from the store. He still couldn't shake the pain in his chest when he couldn't find his siblings – he swore that at that moment he must've had a heart attack. His stomach dropped and he was physically sick at the thought of his brother and sister at the hands of that _sonuvabitch._

He tried to put his mind at ease by reminding himself that Sam was tough and smart enough to take care of himself. John did a good job at training his sons, and Dean had no doubt that his brother would be able to fend for himself. Sam might have been a little out of practice when he went to college but he definitely proved himself to be the hunter he was raised to be. Dean never admit it out loud, but Sam was better than him in so many aspects – he was patient and not impulsive, no one could match his research skills, and his brain and strength could always get him out of any fishy situation. _Sammy will be alright_ , Dean reassured himself. He only wished his heart would agree with his mind, because deep down he couldn't suppress the big brother instinct resurfacing. He couldn't help it, it was second nature to worry about his younger brother.

And then there was Emmy. His sweet, beautiful, loving sweetheart. She was a precious little thing, the one that brought color into his dark world. She somehow filled that void in his heart after he lost his parents, she was the cure to his pain. He didn't want to think of how his life would've looked like without her bright smile, a key that fits the locks on everyone's hearts. Despite of what he made himself believe, she was tougher than he thought. After everything she went through, it proved how strong she really was. And he didn't only mean emotionally but also physically – Dean had seen her get out of some predicaments, he had seen her how fast she learned when he trained her, or how she picked up on the stuff being told around her. Her eyes and ears were always open for any threat, like a real hunter. Dean felt bad for never giving her the chance to really prove herself, it was against his nature to let her protect herself. He knew it was going to take some time to loosen up the protective hold he had on her. He just couldn't bare the thought of his baby sister getting hurt in any way, it made him want to do stuff his darkest mind couldn't imagine.

He hoped that wherever Yellow Eyes took his siblings, Sam and Emmy would be together. At least they'll have each other. Just thinking of his baby sister in the vicinity of Azazel made his blood boil. Dean had no idea what the demon wanted with his brother and sister, he figured it had something to do with Sam's psychic powers and Emmy's soul. Dean still didn't know why this had to happen with his family, couldn't they ever catch a break?

 _Of course not, we're frikkin' Winchesters. We're never lucky in our bad luck._

 **SPN**

Emmy wrinkled her nose at the foul stench of the abandoned house Azazel had brought her to. There were stains on the walls, the ceiling looked like it was going to cave in any second, dust flew around in the rays of sunlight, she couldn't even make out the color of the carpet with all the mess. Emmy watched as a spider caught a fly in its cobweb. She thought it was ironic – she felt the same as the fly, trapped, fate sealed.

"Where are my brothers? Did you hurt them?" she asked after a moment of silence. She had to know if they were okay.

Yellow Eyes dragged a chair closer to her, something cracked under his heavy footsteps as he straddled the chair. "Brother bear is looking for you as we speak, and Sammy-boy is making some new friends."

Emmy imagined Dean must've been out of his mind right now. She'd seen how he was when they couldn't find their Dad and Sam, he reminded her of a bull in the arena, he saw red and was only out for one thing and literally nothing could get in his way. She only hoped he wouldn't be reckless and impulsive, she'd never forgive herself if he gets hurt because of her.

"What friends?" She wanted to add that he wasn't allowed to call her brother ' _Sammy'_ , he didn't have that privilege.

Azazel snorted, amused. "You see, your brother isn't the only one who's special. I thought it would be a wonderful idea to bring them all together."

With a little frown, she couldn't help but think there was a catch. "For what purpose?"

"Ah you wanna know what the strings are before I attach 'em?" he winked with a click of his tongue. "All things in due time, Mary-Elisabeth."

"Don't call me that." Her full name always brought back the memory of her mother – not that Emmy minded, but she didn't like to hear the sound of her mother's name coming from the demon's mouth, not after what he'd done to her. He should've been the one burning on that ceiling.

Not paying any attention to her comment, he intertwined his hands together in question. "I always wondered, do you feel _it?_ "

"Feel what?"

"That thing inside of you."

Emmy swallowed nervously. "What thing?" What was he on about?

"Hmm … interesting."

"What _thing_?" she repeated, not liking the scheming look in his eyes.

"I want to try something," he said abruptly, getting out of his chair so fast, he almost sent it flying through the room.

Emmy felt herself stiffen in her seat as she saw him take a knife. Her eyes skimmed the room, looking for an escape. Without turning around, she knew there was a door behind her, but she couldn't remember which way to go after that. As she mentally calculated the time it would take her to flee, she hadn't noticed how Azazel had already came to stand in front of her.

Her reflex was to push the knife out of his hand. The demon chuckled as he bent down to retrieve the blade, Emmy took her chance and dashed out of the room. Unfortunately her cast had slowed her down and the demon had no trouble grabbing her. His arm slid around her waist as he effortlessly picked her up, bringing her back to the living room. Emmy clawed at his arms with her nails, leaving bloody marks. As soon as he sat her back down on the chair, her good foot lifted up to kick him in the shin as hard as possible.

Azazel merely smirked at her as he grabbed her arm, pushing her sleeve up to her elbow. Emmy's eyes widened, frightened, as he lowered the knife to her skin. She struggled in his hold, trying to pry her arm out of his hand. Instead she stood up, using her knee to flip the knife away again.

"Who knew you were such a tough cookie, huh," he grinned.

Emmy watched the blood on his arms from where she had scratched him trickle down to the carpet. She then remembered that he probably didn't feel a thing, it was his vessel who took the brunt. She felt sorry for the man, hoping he'd understand she didn't have any other choice.

"Look, we can do this the easy way, too. How about you – "

Emmy didn't let him finish his sentence when she turned away, planning on escaping again. The demon rolled his eyes at her decision and merely shoved the chair in her path with a flick of his wrist. The young girl had no time to move away as she tripped over the wooden chair, one of its legs stuck in her stomach. She winced in pain and tried to stand up again, only to feel an invisible force forcing her down.

"The hard way it is," she heard him say before he moved her onto her back. He stepped over her and knelt, until his knees were on either side of her hips.

"Get off of me!" she reached out to push him off, but he made use of his position and grabbed her wrist in one hand. She remembered what her brothers had taught her, and positioned her arm so that the opening between his fingers and thumb where facing up, before forcefully wrenching her arm away. Surprise struck her as she realized it had actually worked, and quickly used her other arm to push him off again.

"Just surrender already." His voice sounded almost bored, as if this was all just a game for him.

Emmy felt one of her arms lift up on their own accord, until her wrist was right over her head. She tried to fight it, but he had pinned her too hard. "Let go of me!"

"Play nice," he warned, like a parent admonishing their child. He leaned over to push some hair out of her face only to have her spit in his face. "Now, that wasn't nice at all, was it?"

The threat was clear in his colored eyes and Emmy momentarily regretted her actions. She could hardly breath as she watched him levitate her hand, that wasn't pinned, to his face. Nothing was worse than seeing someone have full control over your own body. It was frightening, she couldn't imagine how it must feel to be possessed.

The demon grabbed the knife and let the pointy tip break the skin of her wrist. Emmy winced and his lips twitched maliciously as he dragged the knife up to her elbow.

She let out a scream in pain as she watched the long cut. She realized that the cut itself didn't hurt, it stung, but what really brought a wave of pain was afterwards. Tears rolled down her cheeks, and she had bit on her lips so hard, she could taste the blood. She cried, no longer caring about keeping a strong façade. She didn't care anymore.

Oblivious to the pain he had inflicted on the small girl laying under him, the demon had only eyes for the blood trickling down her arm. His pupils dilated like a drug addict ready to take another hit. He was mesmerized by the crimson substance. Something in him cracked, he wanted it, he wanted the blood. An uncontrollable desire made him want to lick it up, anything to get it in his system. The demon never came across anything so intense, it got him rendered speechless and ardent. Some unknown power brought him to his knees, literally, and all he could think was that he _couldn't_ _think._

Without a second thought, he brought his own bloody arm next to hers and touched her blood until his fingers were painted red. He then brought his coated fingers to his own blood. At first nothing happened, but then he suddenly felt a dominant and powerful rush, almost knocking him right over.

Emmy sniffed, watching as the demon once again took some of her blood before rubbing it all over the scratches on his arm. The sight was disgusting, her stomach churned and she had to force bile down her throat. Her healthy, red blood was such a contrast to his dark, tainted blood. She blinked, confused, when he closed his eyes, a groan leaving his lips. She didn't understand what was going on, but when he had reopened his eyes, she didn't like the hungry look he was giving her. There was something primal and raw about it and she didn't fail to notice how the yellow of his eyes briefly intensified. It scared her, the thought that this was the effect of her own blood coming in contact with his.

Is this what Gabriel talked about? Is this why creatures had an interest in her, was her blood some drug or something? What did it do – did it make them stronger? Is this why she had to wear the necklace, why Gabriel had cloaked her with this spell? How was it possible that her list of questions only got longer and longer, it seemed like her life was one big enigma.

Emmy noticed the invisible hold on her had loosened and used his distraction in her own favor. She pushed him off, crawling away until she could use the table to get to her feet. She almost slipped as she frantically searched for a way out. She heard nothing from the other room and she briefly wondered why he wasn't running after her. Her heart took a leap as she found a door to the front porch, she threw a look over her shoulders, expecting the demon's presence. A gust of wind made her hair fly around her face as she decided to think less and just act. She was prepared for the leaves to crumble under her shoes but was surprised when she found herself inside the house again.

With knitted brows, she once again made her way back to the door. She held her bloody arm against her chest as she took a step out of the house, only to find herself in the living room again. With an aggravated groan she repeated her actions again, and again and again.

The yellow eyed demon snapped out of his daze when he heard noise from the other room. He gritted his teeth, wondering how he hadn't noticed she left. It had something to do with the blood – he couldn't really explain it, but he felt more solid and active. As if the blood triggered something inside of him and his senses and powers enhanced. He followed the noise and leaned up against the doorframe, watching her futile movements.

"You're not giving up, are you? I like that. But I hate to break it to you, dollface, you're not getting out of here, I made sure of that."

"Watch me," she spat, as she kept going through that door only to find herself magically reappear at the same spot.

"Knock yourself out, let me know when the fun's over," he said casually as he made his way back to the living room.

 **SPN**

Emmy didn't care if she was wasting her energy, she was going to find a way out _dammit!_ She didn't let this bastard kidnap her to god knows where, just to let him have his way with her. Her brothers taught her better than that. She grabbed a broom in the corner and used it to break the windows with it, the glass looked like it could easily be shattered but now it felt like an iron wall. Even the wooden broom stick snapped in two. Looking around the house, she searched for another way out when she suddenly heard voices. She couldn't hear everything they were saying, and only managed to pick bits and pieces.

 _"_ _So, we're soldiers in a demon war to bring on the Apocalypse."_

 _"_ _And we've all been picked?_

 _"_ _I'm sorry. Psychics and spoon-bending is one thing, but demons?"_

 _"_ _I don't really care what you think, okay? If we're all gathered here together, then that means it's starting and that we've gotta – "_

Emmy stopped dead in her tracks when someone else spoke up. It was the same voice that reprimanded her when she'd bite on her nails, consoled her when she was upset, or laughed when she'd giggle with a snort.

 _"_ _I remember this bell. I think I know where we are now. Cold Oak, South Dakota. A town so haunted, every single resident fled."_

"Sammy?" She whispered. She frantically ran towards the front door, only to find herself transported back inside the house. The blonde cursed under her breath as she made her way back to the open door. This time she tried another solution. "Sammy! Sammy!" She couldn't understand why he couldn't hear her, she was right _here_ and he was right _there_. Yet it was like she was invisible.

Emmy watched as he continued talking to four other people, two men and two women. She tried to see if her brother was okay, he seemed unharmed and she granted herself a bit of relief. Her eyes trailed over the others' faces, studying their features in hope that she would maybe recognize one of them. Emmy recognized one of the girls, a brunette, but she couldn't recall where she had seen her before. But she remembered the man standing next to her.

"Andy! _Andy!"_ she yelled, but he wasn't responding either.

The blonde girl was getting emotional and Emmy watched as Sam put a hand on her shoulder. His sensitive and thoughtful side brought a pang to her heart. She wished she was the one he was comforting now, she never needed him so bad. Just wanting him to hold her in his arms, a perfect bubble where no one and nothing could get to her.

" _I've lost people, too,"_ he said, " _I have a brother out there right now that could be dead, for all I know. And a baby sister …,"_ he almost choked over his words and Emmy never felt this powerless before in her life. She was so close, yet so far at the same time. " _But I'm telling you, the best way out of this is to stick together."_

Sam was probably the only one who could think straight and keep his head cool in a life-threatening situation.

Emmy wiped at the tears silently rolling down her cheeks. It was only then that she had noticed her arm was still bleeding. She still had a tissue somewhere in the back pocket of her jeans, and used it to cover the cut. As she looked back up to the group standing outside, her breath caught as they had turned their backs on her, staring to leave.

"No, no, no, no, please don't go." Knowing she couldn't get through the open door, she decided to make as much noise as she could by banging on the windows and walls, even knocking over the furniture. "Sammy! Sammy, I'm in here! Please don't leave me," she sobbed as they left. " _Sammy!"_

Angry tears started pooling at Emmy's eyes as she dropped herself against the wall. She buried her head in her hands, trying to stifle the sobs trapped in her throat. She could see right outside, she could even smell the fresh air of freedom, yet she couldn't leave. She was truly trapped, just like the fly.

"Don't worry, you'll see him again," Azazel's voice sounded from the doorway. A smirk slowly tugged at his lips. "Well, _maybe_ you'll see him again, let's not get our hopes up."

 **SPN**

It was getting darker outside and Emmy wondered what her brothers were up to. Would Sam still be with his group of people? Was Dean still looking for them? She sighed as she rubbed at her forehead. She was tired, hungry and thirsty. She was on edge and wanted nothing more than get the hell out of this hellhole. Yellow Eyes had left several hours ago, and Emmy had searched the whole house for a way out. She shoved furniture aside in the hopes of finding a hidden exit, she punched at the walls with a shovel she found in the basement, she removed the carpet as she looked for some hole she could crawl into, she even tried to start a fire and burn the wooden walls but there wasn't anything she could use to create a fire.

She sniffed and instantly forced the tears back. She was not going to cry, she's done that more than enough. Huddled in a corner of the room, she wrapped her arms around her knees and buried her face in them. The cut on her arm still stung but at least it wasn't bleeding anymore. She was also glad Azazel hadn't made a move to hurt her again, but that didn't comfort her at all – he was on to something, that much she could tell.

"Gabriel?" her voice cracked. "Gabriel, can you hear me? I really need you right now." She hoped to hear the flutter of wings or that tingle up her back, but nothing.

The sound of a car pulling up outside, made her body tense up. Heavy footsteps could be heard, getting closer and closer until she saw him enter the house. Emmy watched curiously as he put some paper bags on the table. He didn't say anything on the fact that she had ransacked the house, leaving a mess. Instead he whistled joyfully as he took the stuff out of the bags.

Emmy didn't dare to make a sound as she noticed the drawings he was making on the floor with white paint. He took out some things that looked like herbs and leaves and twigs. He spread them all out around the circle. He proceeded to chant something under his breath as he blew some ashes onto the symbols he drew.

He marched up to her and the young girl recoiled with a whimper. He grabbed her by the shoulders and dragged her inside the circle.

"Sit."

"N-no," she refused with her chin sticking out in defiance.

He snapped his fingers and the circle lighted up in fire. Emmy gasped, her heartbeat loud in her ears. She tried to get out of the circle but every time she inched closer, the flames grew bigger. She had no choice but to stand in the middle of it.

"Sit," he told her again. "Please," he added with a fake smile, as if that would change anything.

"And I said _no_!" Sweat was already trickling down the back of her neck and she tried not to focus on how it was getting hotter, how the flames crackled, or how the wooden floor smelt as it burned. "What? You need permission for this too?"

Azazel chuckled. "Oh honey, I never needed your permission in the first place. Your guardian angel thought that some spell could stop me. But guess what, he may have put a lock on your soul, but I got the key."

Emmy's nails dug into the palms of her hands. "Then why did you make me say _yes_?"

The demon shrugged, the amused glint in his yellow eyes never diminishing. "I'm allowed to have some fun once in a while, don't ya think."

"Then what about all those answers you promised me?"

"Oh right, almost forgot."

This prick was really testing her. "Well then? Speak up! A deal is a deal."

"Fine," he sighed. "I guess it doesn't make much difference if I tell you or not, it's not like you'll live to tell the tale."

"What are you planning to do with me?" Emmy's voice wavered a bit, betraying her fear.

"Isn't it obvious? I'm going to sacrifice you."

"W-what? You're gonna kill me?" Emmy took a step, intent on getting out but the fire pushed her back. She yelped when the flame touched her fingers, her burned skin throbbing. "Let me out of here, you stupid prig."

"Don't be silly, killing is not sacrificing. There's a difference, look it up."

"You're out of your mind. Do you know how crazy you sound!?" Anger prickled at her skin. "Now let me go!"

"No can do, darling. You wanna blame someone, blame your mother. She made a deal, and I'm merely holding my end of the bargain."

"What are you even talking about?"

"Oh, Emmy, there's so much you don't know. So clueless," he tsked as he shook his head. "Once upon a time, when Sammy was just a lickle baby, I marked him as one of my own by feeding him my blood."

 _Ugh._ "You're _sick_!"

"Your mother of course, stubborn as she is, she wouldn't listen. She was standing in the way of my plans and wouldn't move. She didn't leave me much choice, you know. So I made a deal – "

"Of course you did," Emmy forced through clenched teeth. That deal had ruined her family, all because of that hellion standing in front of her with a stuck-up smile.

"Seeing as she caught me in a charitable mood, I gave her ten years to give me what I want … before I set the house on fire but that's just details. She could do whatever she pleased in those ten years. She was determined to keep Sam away from me but your mother was silly."

Emmy scoffed. "And what is it that you wanted?"

"Ah, this is where it gets interesting. I let her live, in exchange for a new soldier to join my army."

"A new soldier?" Emmy voiced her confusion.

"A child. An innocent baby, untouched by human morals, someone I could mold into whatever I want," he clarified, his yellow eyes matching the sparkles in the flames. "You."

Emmy shook her head, her bangs flying in her eyes. "My mother would never – "

"She proposed," he cut her off, enjoying the hurt flashing in her eyes. "She told me she'd give me anything, even her own flesh and blood. What kinda mother chooses her own life over her own child's?"

Emmy felt something wetting her cheek, and she wasn't sure if it was the sweat or tears. "If what you're saying is true, then how come she's dead?"

"Like I said, your mother was stupid. Ten years later I heard from a little bird that the Winchester family had a new member. Of course, I came to collect what's mine, but Mary wasn't having it. To make matters worse, she got your father involved, and many others. She hid you from me, made it impossible for me to track you or anyone of your family."

"How did you find us then?" she asked with a tremble, still processing everything he'd said.

"It took me some time but then I found someone willing to tell me where I could find you."

"Who told you?" Emmy couldn't imagine someone ratting out her family. Perhaps it was someone who didn't know they were up against a malevolent creature.

"Doesn't matter. Anyway, I waited till your brothers and father were out. Worst mistake John ever made," he chuckled. "Long story short, I confronted your mother, I told her to give me the baby but she wouldn't listen."

Emmy felt something soothing the ache in her heart at the realization that her mother fought for her. Mary may have made the deal but she never considered to actually follow through.

"She put this spell on your bedroom door and I couldn't quite get to you. I was angry, evidently, so I killed her." He said it like it was so simple, like he had no other choice.

The ten year old wasn't going to waste her breath on this demon, she wasn't going to fight him for the fact that he killed her mother so effortlessly. Her family, especially her father, had wasted years trying to avenge Mary's death, and so far it got them nowhere. No, she wasn't going to take the bait, she still wanted her answers.

"Why did it take you so long to capture us?"

"Like I said, your family made you untraceable."

"What about Sammy and Dean? You could've found them in a heartbeat, why didn't you?"

He nodded. "Actually I did. I've always been around, Emmy, from the very beginning. The only reason I didn't act is because I needed to know more. I don't doubt you already know how special you are, you are one of a kind and frankly nobody has heard of you before. I had to know what I was dealing with, but after years of research, I finally know."

"What is it?" Emmy was dying to know, she's never come this close to answers.

"I'm sure you always felt some presence inside of you, something otherworldly but peaceful. It resides in you, dormant, but it gives you the strength to hold on. It keeps you sane but it also brings light to your world whenever it gets really dark."

Emmy never really thought about it, but hearing him say it out loud, made the wheels turn in her head.

"You never wondered how someone as young as you copes with all these tragedies? Any other ten year old girl would've gone mad, or act out or maybe just give up on the struggle. But you don't, you keep going, you don't give up. You're so much stronger than you think, and you have no idea, don't you? There's not even a bad bone in your body and I think out of everyone, you're entitled to be angry after everything that happened to you. But you're a good girl, too good."

"What are you saying?" Emmy's head felt clogged up, she tried to process his words but the task seemed so hard, as if something refrained her from truly grasping the meaning of his words.

"You can't deny the connection you have with god, have you ever noticed?" he questioned. "For some reason you feel bound to Him. I can see his mark on you, on your soul. You have something that no human being has ever had, something that we creatures could only dream of. You have a piece of the most powerful beings, the one that created us all, the one that created _life_. No one has ever been able to transcend His superiority. You wanna know why?"

"W-why?" Emmy could barely speak as she started to understand what he was saying.

"Because God's beyond reach. He's right here with us, yet no one has even seen him. And then there's you … you got what we all yearn for, it's right inside of you taking up residence in your soul. You have a part of God in you and it's right in our grasp."

Emmy let out a shaky breath, her hands involuntarily going to her chest. She had a hard time grasping the fact a part of God was _inside_ of her. It made her dizzy, and if it weren't for the flames, she would've staggered. Even though a voice in the back of her head told her that she shouldn't trust a demon on his word, she still couldn't deny how everything made sense. It would explain why she always thought it was important to connect to God, why she put so much faith in Him. And remembering Azazel's words, she now understood how she coped with everything happening to her. A normal kid wouldn't have endured the hardships she went through so easily, but she wasn't normal was she.

"Oh and by the way, your brother's dead."

Emmy's eyes snapped up to meet his gaze. A part of her was searching for that whimsical spark in his eyes but she was unable to find it. He said it so casually, it must've been a sick joke.

"It's too bad, I was rooting for him you know. He was my favorite, but I guess he wasn't so lucky this time. You Winchesters are cursed it seems," he chuckled dryly.

"Wait, you serious?"

"Of course I am!"

Emmy wasn't having it. "You're lying. Sammy's not dead, he's not, _he's not_."

"It's okay, you're still in denial. But it is what it is. You remember that group you saw out there? I picked each one of them, just like I picked your brother, but I only needed one of them. I guess Sam wasn't the strongest. Oh well, at least he ended up second, not bad."

Emmy couldn't remember when she fell to her knees. The warmth of the fire was hot against her skin but she didn't care. One sob escaped her throat, and soon she couldn't stop herself. She started crying her little heart out at the thought of Sam, _her Sammy_ , gone. What would she do without him? Who was going to listen to her talk for hours, who was going to make sure she didn't fail at school, who was going to keep her on the right path? She couldn't live without her brother, the man she looked up to, the man that taught her everything she knew. She was going to miss him brush her hair with such gentleness, the way he'd smile down at her like she was his whole world, the only one who called her _honey_ because she was too sweet he'd say. No one could ever replace him.

"There, there. No use bawling your pretty eyes out, sweetie. Soon you'll be joining him."

Was that supposed to make her feel better? Emmy didn't want to accept it, she refused to believe any of it until she saw it with her own eyes. For all she knew, Sam might still be alive and breathing, maybe Azazel just wanted to make her more compliant. Either way, she wasn't letting him get to her until his words were validated.

"Any last words?"

"Screw you!"

"Hey, where are your manners? After I told you everything, that breaks my heart."

"You don't have a heart," she snapped as she got back on her feet. "You'll never get away with this, mark my words. You killed my mother, my father, my brother, and now you think you can get rid of _me_?"

"Look at where you're standing, sweetcheeks. I'm not the one ready to be sacrificed," he winked.

" _I hate you!_ I hate you, I hate you, I hate you! I hope you burn in hell. You ruined everything – my life, my family. How can you take pride in that? You killed so many innocent people without a second thought, and for what? You think you'll rule over the world one day? You think they'll bow down to you, you think they're gonna _worship_ you like some god? There is only one god, and you're not it!"

"If I were you, I would shut my mouth, little girl."

"Or what?!" Emmy had no idea when she suddenly grew balls but she felt something buzzing inside of her, something that wanted to crawl out of her, impatient to put this demon back in his place.

"Or I'll pin you on the ceiling and set you on fire!" he threatened. "Just like Mommy."

"And here I thought you were gonna sacrifice me," she mocked. She knew she was treading on thin ice, but he had her all wired up and she didn't know how to hold her anger in any longer. "You think I belong to you, that you have some kind of right to claim me. I don't belong to _anyone_. If you think I'll let you touch me, then you have another thing coming."

"Don't tempt me, stupid girl." The yellow eyed demon looked her up and down with a sneer. "You're just bluffing."

"Go on. Do it then."

"It seems like the Winchesters have rubbed off on you. Always acting high and mighty like you can take on the world. Look how that ended for them. Not so well, huh?"

Emmy's fists clenched at her hips. "I _am_ a Winchester, it's in our blood."

Yellow Eyes laughed so loud, almost bending over backwards. "Oh Emmy, you're many things but you're not a Winchester. I forgot to tell you that part, Mommy was a little naughty when Daddy wasn't home. I'm not getting into details to save your innocence, or what's left of it, but John Winchester isn't your father."

" _Stop lying!"_

"I'm not. Everyone knows, why don't you ask your brothers – I mean, _brother_. Remember what your 'Daddy dearest' told you before he gave up the ghost?"

Emmy would never forget her father's last words to her. They were engraved in her mind, every single word.

 _Emmy, baby, I want you to know that you have always belonged to me. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. You were mine from the start and you always will be. Some people will try to prove differently but you don't have to listen to them. Just know that you're my baby girl and nothing will change that … You might not have my eyes or smile, but from that very first moment I saw you … you had my heart. Promise me you'll always remember that._

Emmy swore her heart stopped beating. Her body was shaking but she wasn't sure. She felt like someone dropped a bomb on her, tearing her to shreds.

"Why do you think Dean couldn't look at you after he woke up from his coma? And by the way, you can thank me for that, your brother would be rotting in hell if it weren't for me. Of course someone had to pay the price, thank god for _Dad_ huh. He didn't hesitate a second to offer his soul for his son. I wonder, would he have done the same for you? You know, 'cause you're not really his daughter."

"SHUT UP!"

"Ouch. Touchy subject. I get it."

She snapped and before she knew it she was marching towards him. "I will end you." Emmy paid no mind to the fire or the fact that she no weapon. Hell, she hadn't even though of how she would follow through with her threat but she didn't care. She saw red and all common sense was gone. She was waiting for the fire to burn her but to her surprise she didn't feel a thing, maybe it was the adrenaline pumping through her veins.

"What? How – " The demon took a step back, not understanding how she got out of the circle. The fire didn't stop her but he was sure he used a spell too.

Emmy didn't stop until she was face to face with a pair of yellow eyes. There's nothing more she'd like to do than scratch them out of his skull.

"Still think I'm bluffing?" Emmy didn't wait on his reply but was surprised when she heard another voice.

"Mary-Elisabeth."

"Gabriel." She was never so happy to see his face. All the bravado she previously felt, rolled off her shoulders and she just wanted him to whisk her away. A cold hand closed around her wrist, stopping her from running off. Emmy tugged at the restraint.

"She's not going anywhere," Azazel warned.

"We'll see about that." The angel's wings spread out and Emmy was jaw-slacked. It was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. One moment she felt the soft feathers wrapped around her, she could make out the demon's loud protests and threats in the background, and the next the air shifted and they were gone.

 **SPN**

Emmy's hand was firmly in Gabriel's as he led her through some trees. It was dark and cold outside, but somehow the angel's touch was enough to warm her up. He was walking at a slow pace, knowing with her cast she couldn't walk too fast.

"Where are you taking me?"

"I have failed you, Mary-Elisabeth. And I'm determined to make my wrongs right. Do you trust me?"

"Of course I do," she said, her breath fogging up. "Where were you all this time? I called for you."

"Remember the promise I made to you?"

"Yes," she answered as he suddenly stopped. He grabbed her shoulder and turned her around. At first she was confused but the she saw someone appear behind a tree. The shadow looked like it was a man, a tall, broad-shouldered man. Squinting her eyes, Emmy thought it was Dean at first. But the closer he got, the clearer her vision was.

Blue eyes met hazel ones.

"Hey, baby girl."

 _"_ _D-Daddy?"_

 ** _A/N: why, oh why must I do this to my babygirl?! I struggled so hard on this chapter, you have no idea. More answers to your questions and more Sam and Dean next chapter.  
Plz let me know what you think, I'm so scared you're not gonna like it … _**


	22. All Hell Breaks Loose, pt2

**Disclaimer: Supernatural doesn't belong to me. I only own my OC Mary Elisabeth 'Emmy' Winchester.**

 **IMPORTANT AUTHOR'S NOTE: THIS IS THE LAST CHAPTER OF TRAGE(DIE)S, NEXT CHAPTER WILL BE CALLED** ** _BR(OK)EN,_** **SO MAKE SURE YOU FOLLOW ME TO GET NOTIFIED :)**

John smiled from ear to ear, his hazel eyes, so similar to Sam's, glassed over as he watched the little girl standing in front of him. He corrected himself and noted that she wasn't so little anymore. She grew several inches but he didn't doubt she would still fit in his arms, no matter how big she was. Her hair was a little longer, reaching past her shoulders. The blonde color was a bit darker and it reminded him of how Dean's hair color also changed as he got older. She was slowly loosing that childish roundness to her cheeks, her heart-shaped face was more delicate, more sophisticated.

As his eyes caught hers, his heart nearly skipped a beat at the striking resemblance she shared with the love of his life. The lack of light and spark that usually resided in her blue eyes bothered him. He'd seen it happen with his sons, a consequence of the hopeless and dangerous life he dragged them into. It pained him to witness that same look in her eyes, wishing he could bring that innocence back, even though he knew it was useless and too late.

"Well aren't you a sight for sore eyes."

Emmy nearly choked on a sob. Her father looked exactly like she always remembered. Not older, not bigger, not greyer – in fact nothing about him was different from the last time she saw him, only now his arm wasn't in a sling and his face and body were clear from any bruises and scars. He looked _good_.

John was prepared for the collision and buckled through his knees as he caught her in his arms. The feeling of holding his daughter was indescribable. He didn't bother putting it into words and merely basked in the overwhelming emotions of having her so close to his heart. He closed his eyes as he pressed his lips against her temple, mumbling sweet nothings against her skin as he gently rocked her shaking body.

"Oh Dad, Daddy, …" Emmy chanted through her tears, unable to grasp the fact that he was right here with her. If this was some dream, she never ever wanted to wake up, _ever._ She was aware of his touch and warmth and she thought of how _alive_ he felt, so real. "I m-missed you s-s-so much," she cried through her sobs and hiccups.

"Shhh, I missed you, too baby girl, you can't even imagine how much," he said into her ear as he let a hand run through her hair.

Leaning back a bit with her arms fixed around his neck, she cupped his face and stared right into his eyes, needing to make sure that this was really him. She trailed a finger over his eyebrow, searching for the hidden scar, before letting her touch lower to his cheek, loving the feel of his stubble. Without a second thought, her nails gently scratched at his scruff, a habit she hadn't lost. With her other hand she smoothed the lines on his forehead. She watched as a single tear rolled down his cheek and caught it with the pad of her thumb before it reached the corner of his lips.

Emmy sighed, and with that single breath it felt as if she blew the weight off her shoulders. Nothing mattered to her anymore at that moment, she was safe and with the one person she thought she'd never get to see again in her life.

The youngest Winchester leaned over until her forehead touched her father's. She closed her eyes, trying to cherish this moment as best as she could. Her freckled nose occasionally brushed his as she focused on stopping the tears and sobs.

"Why did you leave us, why did you leave me?" she whispered.

John sighed with a heavy heart. "I did it for you and your brothers, Emmy. I did it so you three could be together as a family."

Emmy shook her head. "Y-Yellow Eyes said, he said that you-you made a deal and, and – "

The oldest Winchester could see how it troubled her to say the words out loud. "I did it to save Dean. It was the only way."

"You shouldn't have done it," she said quietly, her voice barely audible.

"And let Dean die?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

" _No!"_ That's not what she meant – in fact Emmy had no idea what she really meant, she wished her father wouldn't have sold his soul for her brother, but she also didn't want to lose Dean either.

Her father tucked her hair behind her ear, his thumb brushing her mother's earring. "Trust me, if there was another way to save your brother, I would've done it. "

Emmy played with his collar as she pursed her lips, and John instantly recognized the familiar expression – she was pondering, searching for the right words to vocalize her thoughts.

"Azazel said some stuff," she eventually started, never meeting his eyes, "stuff about you and Mom."

John dropped his own gaze to her hand fiddling with his shirt, not having the guts to meet her glance either. "Why don't we go somewhere warm and safe, and I'll explain everything."

 **SPN**

Dean only had one thing he lived for, his family – or what's left of it. He had witnessed his mother burn on the ceiling of her bedroom. He'd seen the light go out in her eyes and it was a look he couldn't forget, no matter how far he tried to push it in the back of his mind, those eyes of his dying mother would haunt him till the day he'd die. Dean remembered pushing Sam's face against his chest, trying to spare him from the image, it was the only thing he could do. It was also the moment he realized that he was going to have to take responsibilities as the big brother. He had to protect his siblings.

Once upon a time he was just a teenager, charming every girl with his trademark smirk. He had no care in the world, no burden on his shoulder. He enjoyed annoying his younger brother and play with his baby sister. He loved to go fishing or play ball with his father. He lived for the moments he could help his mother with cooking or be her personal handy man, loving the way she'd shower him with pride and gratefulness. Life used to be so simple and Dean wished he hadn't taken it for granted, he had no idea how lucky he was back then.

So yes, he had to say goodbye to his carefree life when he was sixteen. He had to be a man overnight and suddenly take care of his younger siblings. But he never complained, Dean _never_ complained.

The death of his mother had pulled a switch in his mind and he taught himself to go through the motions and be the rock his family needed. He didn't think he had the right to complain, he was the only one who had a taste of 'a normal life'. He enjoyed Mary's presence the longest and was the only one who could say he had a mother till he was sixteen, his brother and sister weren't so lucky. Sam was twelve, no longer a boy but not yet a man either. He was at that time of his life where he needed his mother the most. Dean remembered Sam being the mommy's boy, always running to their mom for every problem or question. It wasn't like he didn't get along with their father, the two were just too much alike and butted heads more than anything. And then there was Emmy, poor thing couldn't even remember how it was like to even have a mother. She never got to taste Mary's soup when she was sick, she couldn't recall their mother's affection, she had no idea how beautiful Mary's voice was when she sang. It wasn't fair, and Dean's heart broke every time he thought of it.

Dean never questioned why he was the one who had to step up the plate, why he suddenly had to grow up so fast, or why he had to carry the burden. He also didn't realize that he'd have to protect his brother and sister from monsters and evil things that wanted to hurt people. He wasn't born to be a hunter or to shoot and kill things. His life took a one eighty and he never really got the chance to recover from the whiplash. Everything changed and he was never lucky enough to adjust to the new lifestyle, responsibilities and hardships.

He could no longer be the fun brother that goofed around. No, he had to be a parent, a substitute for their mother. Sam had a hard time accepting his change of attitude. Dean remembered how his brother didn't find it easy to get used to being ordered around by his own brother. Dean never blamed him, he struggled with it too. it was difficult adjusting to the new routine and being needed so much by his siblings.

" _You're not my Dad!"_ , Sam would say.

 _You think I wanna be your Dad? I just wanna be your brother, Sammy,_ Dean would think but he'd never say it out loud.

Emmy was much easier, she never questioned why he was more of a parent than a brother, she didn't know any better. Dean never minded raising her, he never asked anyone why he had to wake up two to four times a night when she'd cry, or why he had to change and feed her, or why he had to potty train her. He had to admit that half of the time he had no idea what he was doing, and he lived with the constant fear he'd mess it up. But Emmy turned out just fine, in fact she was this little wonderful and amazing person and Dean felt unbelievably proud knowing that he played a big part in that.

Fresh tears started rolling down his cheek again at the thought of his little girl because at the end of the day, she was _his_ in every way. The bond he had with her was special and unique, a bond he didn't share with anybody else. What he did to deserve her was beyond him – she was the one that kept him up, she'd be the one he'd come home to, reminding him why he hadn't given up already. He couldn't really explain it but there was something about Emmy that just sent a rush of strength through his veins. Just the thought of her already made him want to tear the world apart and put everything back again like it's supposed to. It was a strange thing, but his brother and father also used to agree about the fact that this adorable girl was the glue that made them all stick together. Even though John and Sam had left for long periods of time, they always gravitated back to each other. But Emmy wasn't here now to pick up the pieces and Dean felt on the verge of collapsing.

He missed her – he missed her pretty face, those gorgeous eyes that allowed him to see her beautiful soul, that heartwarming sound of her giggling, the way she'd play with his fingers, or how she'd scrunch up that little freckled nose of hers when she's irritated or trying not to laugh. It had only been two days, yet he felt like he hadn't seen her for ages. He always hated being away from her for too long, it just didn't feel right, like he couldn't function properly if she wasn't there with him. Maybe it was because he spent her entire life with her and he couldn't even imagine a world without her in it. Maybe Azazel was right, maybe he needed her more than she needed him.

Dean sniffed as he stared at Sam.

"I just wanted you to be kids ... just for a little while longer. I always tried to protect you two ... Keep you safe... Dad didn't even have to tell me. It was just always my responsibility, you know? It's like I had one job ... I had one job and I screwed it up," he cried, his chest aching with every sob. "I blew it. And for that, I'm sorry." He took another swig from his drink to numb the pain, and wiped the tears from his face with his free hand. "I guess that's what I do. I let down the people I love. I let Dad down. I let Emmy down. And now I guess I'm just supposed to let you down, too.  
How can I? How am I supposed to live with that?"

He wished he could let them know the extent to which he loved them, the extent to which he needed them in his life. But now he lost everything … his reason to live … he was alone and it was no one's fault but his.

With the thought of his baby sister missing and the image of his brother's lifeless body, Dean had made up his mind. "I'm gonna fix this, Sam and Emmy, I promise."

 **SPN**

Emmy closed her eyes as she inhaled the scent of the soup, letting it warm up her body and satisfy her hunger. She smiled gratefully when her father wrapped his jacket around her shoulders and for a moment she felt like the happiest girl on earth. She had no idea where they were and didn't ask any questions as she learned never to look a gifted horse in the mouth. Gabriel was also nowhere to be seen and she figured he had some angel stuff to do, or maybe he just wanted her to spend some quality time with her father.

The abandoned house was empty and quiet, at least it was clean and Emmy hadn't spotted any spiders or bugs yet.

John was busy making sure the house was safe by drawing some sigils to ward off any unwanted guests. Emmy stared at the fireplace, watching as the flames danced around the logs. The warmth and smell of it reminded her of Yellow Eyes, how he had intended to sacrifice her, the way he looked at her after cutting her arm, the stuff he'd said …

John clapped his hands together, "I think this will do."

Emmy startled, accidently spilling some warm soup over her sleeve. She hissed but was glad the soup wasn't too hot.

"Oh baby, I'm sorry." John found a rag somewhere and used it wipe at her clothes. He set her bowl aside and pulled her sleeve up a bit to clean her arm. "You're not hurt, are you?"

Emmy was about to answer but was distracted by something else. She frowned as she watched her arm, the skin was unblemished. _Huh?_ Uncovering her other arm, her frown deepened even more when she couldn't detect the cut. Her mind was still a bit hazy and she wasn't sure which arm the demon cut again, but seeing as both her arms were perfectly fine she wondered if she was going crazy. Or maybe Gabriel had healed her, but then why was she still in her cast, and why were the bruises from where Azazel held her still visible?

"Emmy?" John ducked his head to catch her gaze.

Snapping out of her thoughts, she pulled the sleeves back down her arms. "I'm alright."

"Gabriel told me how Yellow Eyes tried to sacrifice you," he started saying as he sat down next to her, pulling her close. "You sure you're alright?"

"Yeah, just a bit shaken," she said softly. "What was that all about?"

She could feel his chest press against her arm as he let out a long sigh. "He believes that by sacrificing you, the power residing inside of you would pass along to him."

"Is that true?" she asked, cradling his large hand in hers.

John pressed his lips against the top of her head, he wished he could protect her from all of this. She didn't need to know everything but so far keeping secrets from her always ended badly.

"Yes and no. The only way to take what's yours is by sacrificing you – " John felt his daughter tense up and his hand instantly ran along her arm in a show of reassurance and comfort. " _But,_ only with your permission. His plan would've failed because you didn't allow him any of your powers."

"What powers?"

"I don't know, baby girl, I really don't know."

And Emmy knew he wasn't lying for once, he truly had no idea. "So you're saying that as long as I don't give them my permission, they won't be able to have these so called powers?" John nodded. "What if I wanna use those powers?"

"Well, as long as we don't know what those powers are, there's not much we could do about 'em." He briefly squeezed her hand. "Maybe you should ask Gabriel."

Emmy snorted. "His lips are sealed, he won't say anything." She craned her neck to look up at him. "Did you know about Gabriel?"

"No, but I'm glad he's around to watch out for you, kinda like a guardian angel," his lips curled up in a small smile.

Emmy couldn't help but smile back.

"What about your brothers? Do they know you got an angel at your beck and call?" Something told him that Dean and Sam wouldn't appreciate the fact that their sister was involved with a supernatural being, he also didn't want to imagine the look on their faces when they'd find out all those time the angel saved Emmy. Those boys made it their mission to make sure their little sister was out of harm's ways, knowing that they had failed her numerous times would crush them.

"They don't know."

He nudged her gently when she didn't say anything more. "And are you planning to tell them?"

Emmy thought about it for a minute. "No. After everything they chose to hide from me, I think I'm entitled to keep a secret too."

John swallowed down his sorrow. He knew that he was at fault too, he kept secrets from her too, and he realized his mistake now. It was a little too late, but he wanted to right his wrongs before he'd leave, she deserved that much.

"Emmy, I know I kept you in the dark too," he started, struggling to find the right words, "and I was wrong to do that. I thought the only way to protect you was by keeping you ignorant and unknowing. I was stupid to think you would never ask questions, and it was even more stupid of me to think that I could keep you away from these monsters, forgetting that these monsters could get to you, too."

Emmy wasn't sure how to comment to that, _I told you so_ didn't seem to be the acceptable response now. She wanted to tell him that it wasn't entirely his fault, he only did what he thought was the right thing. Maybe if she hadn't been so forgiven, if she hadn't always turned the other cheek, he wouldn't've gotten away with it. Maybe it was her fault too…

"I'm sure yellow eyes told you all about that first night he visited your mother." He continued when Emmy nodded. "It took her years before she finally got the guts to tell me. I remembered that day like it was yesterday. It was the first time she introduced me to the supernatural world. When she told me about the deal, I was shocked and I guess I was angry too. I didn't understand why she would promise _our child_ to a demon."

"Is that when you had a huge fight?" Emmy remembered her brothers telling her about this time their father left for weeks.

"No, not yet. I promised I'd find a way out, that I would do anything to break the deal. Bobby, Missouri, Pastor Jim, Caleb, they all helped but at the end we had nothing that could work. We only had five years before Azazel would come and collect his end of the bargain, and that's when your mother did something. Something I couldn't forgive her for." John clenched his teeth, his eyes misty as he recalled the pain that had washed over him. "She, she made sure she'd never be able to have more children. And that's when we had the fight. We always wanted more kids, and I just, I couldn't accept the fact that we had to settle with less just because of some demon. I – I had to leave, your brothers were asking questions, your mother was a mess and I just, I just had to get out of there."

"But you came back," Emmy reminded him upon seeing the emotional turmoil clearly in his face.

"I made a mistake, Emmy. A mistake that doesn't deserve any forgiveness, I betrayed your mother."

Emmy was almost too scared to ask. "What did you do?"

John looked down at her, his watery eyes hiding the one secret he swore to harbor forever. He shook his head, as if to clear his head. "Doesn't matter. I realized my family needed me, so yes I came back."

Emmy decided to drop it and focused on the next question that bothered her. "If mom was unable to conceive, then how did she get pregnant with me?"

He cupped her cheek, stroking her cheekbone with so much affection. "You were our little miracle."

"But _how_?" Emmy was beyond confused. "Azazel told me that you, you weren't my real … please don't make me say it. Is it true?"

Emmy watched her father's face closely, searching for any signs of truth. John avoided her eyes and with a sinking feeling, Emmy realized that her biggest fear came true. She sat up and her chest hitched.

"Emmy," John reached out for her but she pulled away from him. Not bothering to mask the hurt flashing in his eyes, he gave her the space she needed.

"How long did you know?" she asked with a tremble in her voice.

"I guess I've always known, I can't describe it really, it's just this feeling I had since the first time I held you in my arms. You're like a carbon copy of your mother, Emmy. Dean has my eyes but his mother's personality. Sam is the other way around, he has his mother's features but has my traits. But you, baby girl, you and I are nothing alike."

He tried to get her to look at him but she wouldn't budge. The light of the fire reflected on the side of her face, and he could clearly see her chin wobbling and her eyes glistening. She was holding herself up, keeping it together, her knuckles white as she held her hands around the couch by her knees. He wanted to hold her so bad but knew she'd crumble.

"Why did you never tell us?" her voice broke at the question. "Didn't you think I deserved to know?"

"What difference would it make? You already lost your mother, I wasn't going to let you lose the only parent you had left." He took the risk to inch a bit closer to her and was glad she didn't move away. "I never raised you any different from the way I raised your brothers. I vowed that I was gonna be your father from day one. I didn't care if you weren't my own flesh and blood, you were _my daughter_ , Mary-Elisabeth. You were mine and I treated you as such." He lifted his hand up to touch her shaking shoulders but halted mid-air when she recoiled. "Please don't cry baby girl."

Emmy sniffed, pressing the back of her hand against her mouth in an attempt to stifle the sobs.

"I want you to know that I never blamed your mother for anything. I know how this looks like but I trust her and I believe her when she told me she'd never betray me like that. I understand if your angry with us, baby, you have every right to be mad."

Emmy's throat hurt from the big lump she tried to suppress. She couldn't wrap her mind around the fact that this man sitting next to her, the man she called _daddy_ her entire life was nothing to her. She knew it wasn't his fault and deep down she wanted to blame her mother but for some reason she couldn't bring herself to feel any resentment towards any of them. She tried to understand but found herself grasping at nothing that made sense.

"Emmy, say something, sweetie," John pleaded.

Her breath caught in her throat as she tried to speak. "I-If you're not, i-if you're n-n-not my dad … then-n who is?"

John wished he had the answers she deserved but was empty handed. "I don't know."

A sob escaped her lips but this time Emmy didn't try to stop it. She buried her face in her hands and let it all go as she cried her little heart out. She had learned to live without her dad, only to find out that the man she lost wasn't even her biological father. She never thought she'd say this, but losing your father was nowhere near as heartbreaking as finding out that you don't even have one.

John could no longer refrain himself and let himself rub her back, needing the physical contact. He swore he could feel her pain and wanted nothing more than to take it all away. Little by little, he closed the distance between them, careful not to set her off, but was glad she didn't push him away. He held her in his lap, whispering soothing words in her ear as he rocked her back and forth.

Emmy fisted his flannel shirt as she buried her face in his shoulder. "I-I-I don't w-want anyone e-e-else to be m-my daddy," she sobbed.

"Shh," he crooned, running his hand down her back as he kissed her hair. "And I don't want anyone else to be my daughter. You're my baby girl, we don't need to share blood only hearts."

 **SPN**

"Dean. It is so, so good to see you."

Dean swallowed hard as he watched the sultry lady standing in front of her. She was beautiful, dressed in a black dress that accentuated every curve, she was the kinda woman he'd seduce but given the circumstances, Dean only wanted to gauge her black eyes out of her skull.

"I mean it. Look at you. Gone and got your family killed. All alone in the world. It's too sweet. Excuse me, you're gonna have to give me a moment." She walks up to him, her face merely inches from his. "Sometimes you gotta stop and smell the roses."

"I should send you straight back to hell," he spat, his nails digging into the palm of his hands.

The demon smiled coyly. "Oh, you should. But you won't. And I know why."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah. Following in Daddy's footsteps. You wanna make a deal." She trailed a finger up his shoulder, not missing the shiver her touch caused. "Little Sammy back from the dead, and—let me guess— you're offering up your own soul?"

"There are a hundred other demons who'd love to get their hands on it. And it's all yours," he said through clenched teeth. "All you got to do is bring Sam back and tell me where I can find my little sister."

"You drive a hard bargain," she laughed, the sound grating his ears. "And why would I wanna find baby Winchester, especially if I could use her for my own benefit."

Dean was a second away from pummeling this bitch to the ground but he kept himself under control. "Just tell me if she's okay, I need to know."

The demon seemed to relent as she said, "I wouldn't worry about your precious sister, she's in good hands."

Dean let out a breath he didn't even know he was holding. He knew he shouldn't trust a demon but he needed the reassurance, even if it could be a lie. He'd like to believe his sister was safe and sound, he was allowed to be naïve too sometimes.

"Where is she then?"

"If I tell you, will you sell me her pretty little soul? Mhmm, the things I could do when I have my hands on that pure – "

" _Hell, no_!" he growled. Just the thought only of this demon hurting his sister – he couldn't even finish that thought without losing his control.

She shrugged. "Too bad."

"Don't think I won't send you back to hell," he threatened.

"And then who's going to seal the deal, huh?" she taunted, twirling a strand of hair around her finger.

Dean wasn't going to let her off the hook so easily. "I don't think you'll find a better bargain than this," he said, pointing at himself. "Just give me a clue, a trail, anything."

The demon seemed to be thinking about it but eventually made up her mind. This could be fun. "Well, you don't find her, _she_ finds _you_."

"What?" Dean had no times for riddles and games. "What kinda bullcrap is that?"

"You heard me, she'll come to you … eventually."

Dean wasn't sure if he should buy it or not. His instincts told him to send this broad back to the pit but his heart for some reason found peace with it.

The demon cleared her throat. "That piece of information comes with a price, and you still want your brother back or what?"

"Give me ten years— ten years, and then you come for me."

She looked amused. "You must be joking."

"That's the same deal you give everybody else," he reasoned.

"You're not everybody else." She put her lips close to his ear and whispered, "Why would I want to give you anything? Keep your gutter soul. It's too tarnished, anyway."

"Nine years."

"No."

"Eight."

"You keep going, I'll keep saying no," she laughed.

"Okay, five years. Five years, and my bill comes due. That's my last offer— five years or no deal." Dean was desperate and desperate times called for desperate measures.

The demon leaned in, her face so close she could taste his lips. "Then no deal."

"Fine," he spat.

"Fine," she shrugged and made a move to walk away. "Make sure you bury Sam before he starts stinking up the joint."

Dean flinched. "Wait." He ran shaky hands through his hair, his tongue wetting his lips. "What do I have to do?" _I'do anything_ , Dean thought, he was at the end of his wits and was prepared to make any sacrifice if it would bring his brother and sister back.

 **SPN**

Emmy closed her eyes as she snuggled into John's chest. She was tired and ached all over but she refused to sleep and waste this precious moment. She'd never have a second chance to do this, so she'd enjoy every minute with him.

"Do Sam and Dean know?" she said after an hour of silence, she wasn't even sure if her father was up or not.

 _He's not exactly your father_ , a little voice reminded her but Emmy quickly tuned it out.

"Dean knows," he muttered, sounding tired. "I told him right before I – " he didn't finish his sentence. "I ordered him not to tell either of you."

"Why would you tell him?" Emmy remembered Azazel's words and understood now why Dean was the way he was when their father passed away. He was distant and wouldn't even acknowledge her. She realized once again that John had dumped another burden on his shoulders, and at that time Dean was barely managing to stay upright. It wasn't fair to him. She couldn't imagine how it must've been to keep that secret to himself.

"I don't know, it felt like the right thing to do. If I wasn't going to be there, at least someone had to know."

Emmy didn't say anything else for a while. "So I'm a freak, huh? No one knows how or why I exist, I have this _power_ that everybody wants and I don't even know what it is. To top it all off, I thought my father was dead and now I don't even know who my Dad is."

"You're not a freak, baby," he said as he held her tighter in his arms. "Look at Sam, he's dealing with the same stuff –"

"Sammy!" At the mention of her brother's name, Emmy suddenly sat up with wide eyes. "Yellow Eyes told me, he told me Sammy was dead. Please tell me it's not true."

"I-I, he's uh," John didn't know how to break it to her. His own heart still ached at the thought of his youngest son, wishing he could do the same thing he did for Dean. He knew Emmy already had a lot to take in and he wasn't sure if she'd be able to handle this news. "I'm so sorry, baby … "

"Your brother's fine."

At the new voice, the two suddenly turned to find the angel standing in the middle of the room.

"What?" John didn't understand. "You told me he was dead just a few hours ago."

"Oh, Sammy," Emmy started crying. Just thinking of her brother dead was enough to bring her to her knees.

"He's not dead, Emmy," Gabriel reassured her but something about his tone told her that he wasn't too happy about it.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you," she mumbled, ready to embrace the angel but he held a hand up.

"Don't thank me, thank your brother Dean."

She tilted her head to the side in confusion, not bothering to dry her cheeks. "But how?"

"Oh, Dean what did you do," John muttered under his breath when realization hit him.

"Like father, like son," Gabriel commented, exchanging a knowing look with the man.

"What's happening?" Emmy demanded, looking at the two. They were talking without using words and it reminded her of her brothers so much, she suddenly wanted nothing more than be with Sam and Dean again.

"Emmy, why don't you come here, you need to rest," John started to say.

"No, tell me what going on? First I got told Sammy's dead, and now you're telling me he's not, I'm not following anymore," she rambled on.

"You've had a rough day and a lot to take in, sweetie," Gabriel said, softening his eyes when she looked at him. "Get some sleep and we'll talk in the morning."

Emmy turned to face her father and put her arms up. It was something she'd always do when she was younger and it sent another pang to John's heart. He picked her up and held her close.

"You still gonna be here when I wake up?" she asked timidly.

John sent a quick look at the angel before he looked back at his little girl. "Yes, I am. Now go to sleep, baby girl."

Emmy felt him press a lingering kiss on her forehead while the angel touched the top of her head, and before she knew it, she was suddenly asleep.

 **SPN**

Sam winced as he examined his back in the mirror. There was a cut and some dried up blood sticking to his shirt. He felt like he had just woken up from a strange dream and now nothing made sense to him. He lowered his shirt and stretched his back to soothe the aching muscles. If he hadn't known any better, he'd think that he was just sore for being stock-still for too long.

The door behind him opened and Sam barely had the time to turn around when someone grabbed him in a tight hug.

"Oh, Sammy thank god," his brother breathed.

"Uh, Dean? Hey." Sam awkwardly patted his brother's back. Dean responded by holding him even tighter. Sam flinched when his arms made contact with the scar on his back. "Ow, Dean …"

Realizing his mistake, Dean reluctantly released his brother. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry, man. I'm just... I'm just happy to see you up and around, that's all." Sam nodded, looking puzzled. "Come on, sit down."

Sam studied his brother, noticing the bags under his eyes, the bloodshot eyes and the paleness. "Okay. Dean... what happened to me?"

"Well, what do you remember?"

Sam squinted his eyes as if it pained him to try to remember. "I-I saw you and Bobby, and... I felt this pain. This sharp pain, like... white-hot, you know, and then you started running at me, and... that's about it."

Dean's Adam's apple bobbed up and down as he rubbed his sweaty palms on his jeans. "Yeah, that— that kid, stabbed you in the back. You lost a lot of blood, you know... It was pretty touch and go for a while."

"But Dean, you can't, you can't patch up a wound that bad," Sam pointed out, noticing how his brother wouldn't hold his gaze for longer than five seconds. There was only one reason why Dean wouldn't be able to look him in the eye …

"No, Bobby could. Who was that kid, anyway?"

Sam decided not to point out how his brother changed the subject. "His name's Jake. Did you get him?"

A look of anger flashed in Dean's green eyes. "No, he disappeared into the woods."

"We got to find him, Dean. And I swear I'm gonna tear that son of a bitch apart." Sam stood up, ready to hunt that guy down.

Dean followed suit, trying to slow his brother down. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. Easy, Van Damme. You just woke up, all right? Let's get you something to eat. Huh? You want something to eat?"

 **SPN**

Emmy woke up in a daze, feeling like crap. She was momentarily confused why she was lying on the couch, her surroundings unfamiliar. She rubbed at her eyes, throwing her feet to the floor, feeling the texture of the rug beneath her bare toes. The movement made something slide from her shoulders and Emmy picked it up to see her father's leather jacket. Everything came back to her and her eyes instantly searched the room.

"Dad? Daddy?"

She stood up, dragging her heavy cast with her as she walked around the house. "Dad? _Dad!"_

Panic started crawling up her chest, a heavy feeling on her lungs making it hard to breath. "DAD!"

Frantically running through the house, tears started blurring her vision when she suddenly ran into something hard.

"Hey, hey, I'm right here Emmy." John hugged her closely, running a hand through her blonde hair.

"I thought you left," she whimpered, holding onto him tightly.

John bent through his knees and palmed her cheek. "Did you get some sleep?"

"A little," she murmured before throwing her arms around his neck. She didn't care how clingy she was behaving, she had to constantly check if he was really there and touching him was the only way.

"That's good." John picked her up effortlessly, understanding her need to be close to him, and led her back to the living room. "Gabriel and I have been talking."

"About what?"

"About what we should do next. How we could end Azazel once and for all."

Emmy leaned back a little. "I wanna help, you gotta let me help, _please_ Dad!"

"Emmy, baby, I don't think that's a good – "

"No!" she jumped back, almost tumbling over on her casted foot. "You're not allowed to tell me what to do anymore, not now! You tried to keep me out of this and look how that ended, you said you wouldn't make the same mistake again, so learn from it, let me in, Dad. Let me be a part of this, I'm already in too deep, you can't push me away anymore."

Emmy bit back her tears, refusing to let her emotions take over again, she had to show she could be strong when needed. This was her family they were talking about, the same family that would go to hell and back for her, she had to return the favor.

John was never this proud before in his life. His little girl wasn't so little anymore, she was still a child but she has grown so much. He had his sons, and especially Dean, to thank for that. They did a great job at raising their sister, and it warmed his heart to see the devotion in her eyes. She was right though, he could no longer protect her from this – soon he'd be gone again and then she was bound to take that step.

"Alright."

Emmy was ready to get into another discussion when she realized what he had said. "Wait, what?"

John sighed. "I said, alright. You can help, but you do exactly as I tell you, do you understand?"

Letting out a breath of relief, she smiled a little. "Thanks, Dad."

John smiled back at hearing her call him Dad, after everything and she still addressed him like he was the one she looked up to. Truth was that Emmy didn't know what else to call him, he might not be her biological father but he always treated her like his daughter, like his _baby girl_. It was going to take time to accept the fact that he wasn't really her Dad but she'd always appreciate the fact he'd always been there for her like a real father.

"Good morning," Gabriel greeted, appearing out of nowhere.

Emmy nearly jumped out of her skin but quickly composed herself.

"Change of plans," John started to say.

"Wait," Emmy interrupted, "I need to do something first. Is there a phone I can use?"

 **SPN**

It was close to six in the morning when the brothers sat at the table at Bobby's. Dean watched as his brother ate, he never thought he'd be so happy to see Sam sitting in front of him, munching on a sandwich. At the moment Dean couldn't stomach any food, afraid he'd throw up. He may have his brother back but as long as Emmy wasn't here with him, he couldn't sleep or eat or even function normally.

Dean was so lost in his own thoughts, he didn't notice his brother talking to him until Sam snapped his fingers in front of his face.

"Dude, you okay? You're acting strange."

Dean cleared his throat. "You finished?" He didn't want to waste any more seconds, he had his brother back, now they had to find their sister.

"What's the rush?"

Dean looked at him strangely. He didn't entirely blame his brother, coming back to life might have messed with his head a little. "We still have to find Emmy, Sam."

Sam dropped his sandwich on his plate, realization hitting him like a train. "Emmy," he breathed. "I thought she was with you, she didn't follow me to that convenience store did she? Oh god, please don't tell me he got her too."

"We don't know – "

"What do you mean you don't know?" Sam cut him off. "Dean she could be anywhere, do you have any idea what he'd do if he has her?"

"I'm working on it – "

"Doesn't look like it. Why are we even sitting here right now, we need to go _now_. Why are you so calm about this?"

Dean slammed his fist on the table, rattling the plates and glasses. "You don't think I'm worrying about her, too? You think these past forty eight hours have been easy for me, you have no idea what I've been through, Sammy, you have no idea."

It hurt to think that his brother accused him for not caring enough. Dean did nothing else but care and worry about his siblings constantly. Sam didn't know what he was talking about, if only he knew.

"Looking for her won't help, she'll find us."

Sam scoffed. "That's bullshit. Who told you that?"

"Someone."

 _A demon._

Sam was suspicious. "And you trust this someone?"

"Not exactly."

 _But I paid a heavy price for it._

"You better be right about this." Sam's eyes watered thinking of his little sister missing. She could be alone somewhere, what if she was trapped, what if Yellow Eyes had hurt her?

"Sam, don't." Dean recognized that look on his brother's face, he was worrying, thinking of every possible what if. "We'll find her."

"What would he want with her? She's just a little girl."

"She's not only special to us, Sam," was all Dean said. "You remember that stuff Dad had written in his journal. Those bastards want her for something, and as soon as we got her back we'll figure it all out."

"She must be so scared and lonely."

"Sam," Dean warned, he didn't want to go there again. "I said _don't_."

Sam nodded slowly, understanding.

A buzzing sound suddenly broke the tense silence. Dean was momentarily confused, wondering where the sound came from.

"Your phone," Sam pointed at his jacket hanging over the back of a chair.

Dean read the number on his screen, _unknown_. Every worst case scenario suddenly ran through his mind, what if someone called to tell him they found his sister's body. What if they found her somewhere ditched on the side of the road. What if they tried to save her but where too late. What if –

"Dean," Sam startled him out of his reveries, "pick up."

He hesitated for a second but with an encouraging nod from his brother he picked up. "Hello?"

" _Dean?_ _Is that you?"_

Dean's knees buckled and he reached for the table to balance himself. "Emmy?"

Sam shot out of his chair, motioning for his brother to put it on speaker. "Emmy, honey?"

" _Sammy! Oh, Sammy I thought you died, I thought I'd never see you again. I saw you the other day but you didn't hear me. I was calling for you and Andy and the others but nobody noticed. I was so scared, Azazel said only one of you would become his soldier and I was so afraid for you Sammy. Are you alright? How did you come back to life? They told me Dean brought you back, maybe you should – "_

"Emmy, sweetheart, slow down," Dean said as soon as he found his voice back. He ignored his brother's questioning stare. He had no idea how his sister knew about all of this but that wasn't important now. "Emmy, are you alright? Tell me where you are and I'll come get you right now."

" _I'm fine, Dean, I promise."_

"Who is with you?" he asked, needing to know more.

" _Uh, no one,"_ she sounded hesitant. She was lying.

"Tell me where you are, baby," Dean pressed.

" _I-I can't tell …"_

Sam frowned. "Why? Who is with you, Emmy?"

" _I – uhm …"_ there was a muffled voice on the background before she continued, " _They said you shouldn't worry."_

"Sweetheart, who is _they_?" Dean was close to snap, he heard the voice and wanted nothing more than to reach through that phone and strangle whoever was keeping his sister away from him.

They could hear the static of her voice when she sighed and the brothers could practically see her nibble on her bottom lip. " _I can't tell, Dean. I'm sorry."_

"Honey, you gotta give us more than that. We're worried about you, just tell us where you are, Emmy. Please," Sam pleaded.

 _"_ _Look I only called to let you know I'm alright. I have to hang up now – "_

Dean pressed the phone close to his lips. "Emmy, listen to me. This is important, we got a demon on the loose and he's out to get you and Sam. We have to know where you are, it's the only way we can keep you safe, do you understand sweetheart?"

" _I know, it's just … you wouldn't understand."_

"Then explain it to us, Emmy."

" _I can't,"_ she repeated, " _I really wish I could but I can't, it's for your own good."_

Judging by Dean's flaring nostrils, Sam knew his brother was barely keeping his cool. He took the phone in his hand and addressed his sister.

"Emmy, are you somewhere safe? Are you hurt? And don't you dare lie to me, young lady."

 _"_ _I'm fine, Sammy,"_ her smile could be heard through her voice. " _I only have some faint bruises and my foot hurts from putting too much pressure on it, but other than that I'm okay, just tired."_

Sam nodded, she wasn't lying this time. "Listen, I need you to draw some protective sigils. Is there some chalk or paint around – "

" _Already taken care of, Sammy._ _I had some help with that. I'm telling you guys, I'm fine, please believe me. Stop worrying about me."_

Dean rubbed a hand over his mouth. "That's easier said than done."

" _We'll see each other soon, I promise."_

"We're at Bobby's now – " Sam started to say.

" _It's okay, I'll find you,_ " she said with so much conviction, the brothers felt drawn to trust her.

 _You don't find her, she'll find you,_ the demon's voice rang in Dean's head. She was right after all.

The brothers heard the deep voice again and their backs straightened up again. "Who was that, Emmy?"

" _I gotta go now."_

"Emmy, no wait!" the brothers protested.

" _Love you, bye._ "

As soon as she hung up, Dean instantly redialed the number but it went straight to voice mail. "Sonuvabitch!" He slammed the chair to the floor, his hands balled up in fists, he was ready to pull his hair out.

"Dean, it's alright," Sam approached him carefully.

Dean spread his arms out. "You call this alright, Sam?!" Suddenly the tables were turned – he was the one who couldn't keep his composure and Sam was the calm one again. "We have no idea where our little sister is, and who was that guy in the background, what if he's some psycho?"

Sam pulled his hands out as if to calm him down. "We gotta stay positive, Dean. We just heard her, she's alive, she sounded alright. She wasn't scared, she didn't ask us to help her. We gotta consider the fact that she may be in good hands."

Dean snorted. "We're damn Winchesters, Sam. When have things ever gone well for us."

"There's a first time for everything." Sam walked to the window when he heard the rumble of a car. He drew the curtains back and turned to face his brother who sat with his head buried in his hands. "What did Emmy mean when she said you brought me back?"

Dean closed his eyes, wishing this mess would come to an end already. Every time he thought something went good, it ended bad. Every time he took a step forward, he got pushed several steps back.

"Dean." Sam knew something was off, he felt it since he woke up. He wanted answers. _"Dean_."

Footsteps sounded through the hallway and both brothers looked up to see their surrogate uncle entering the room.

Shock struck Bobby's face when his eyes laid upon the middle Winchester. "Sam?" His bag dropped from his shoulder and Sam swore the rugged man looked like he'd seen a ghost. "It's good to see you up and around."

 **SPN**

Emmy nibbled on a granola bar as she watched her father in concentration. He was working on a plan, taking notes and scribbling something down on the map spread out in front of him. Less than a year ago, she thought she lost him forever. Seeing him in his natural habitat, doing what he's good at, it was nostalgic. A pencil tucked behind his ear, his sleeves rolled up to his elbows, his lips twisted to the corner, the wrinkles marring his forehead, the occasional sigh – she'd never get tired of the image.

It was weird watching him now that she knew his deepest secret, it was like seeing him in a new light, a different man. She couldn't imagine how hard it must've been for him to harbor that secret for so long. It amazed her how he never slipped through all these years. Maybe he was telling the truth, maybe he did not care if she was his or not, he treated her like a daughter, _his_ daughter. But despite of what John told her, Emmy still couldn't get over the fact that her mother cheated on him. John said that he wasn't resentful, that he had forgiven Mary. It led her to believe that something more must've been going on.

Either way, the million dollar question still remained the same, if he wasn't the father then who was? Emmy didn't want to think about it, she couldn't fathom the thought of some stranger being her biological dad. But she still let her mind wonder – how would he look like? Did he know about her existence? Is he a hunter, too? Would he want her to be his daughter? What would he think of her?

A hand tapped her on the shoulder, stopping her from her train of thoughts.

Gabriel beckoned her over with his finger. "Come here, I wanna show you something."

Emmy followed the angel while finishing the last piece of her granola bar. The angel led her to an empty room in the house and closed the door behind her. He proceeded to draw all the curtains after turning off the lights.

"Uh? What are you doing?" she asked, squinting her eyes in the darkness. The room wasn't pitch black and she could still make out his body standing in front of her, but she was still wondering if she should flee or not.

"Do you know you're glowing?"

Emmy twitched her nose. "Is this some kinda joke?"

He touched her forehead.

Before she could ask for clarification, the room suddenly illuminated with a bright light. It didn't take long before Emmy found out the source of the light. She looked down at herself and gasped. A soft glow radiated from her skin, making her look lucent and shiny. Her mouth dropped. At first she didn't dare to move but when the angel took her hand, showing her that it was alright, she reluctantly touched her own skin. She felt a tiny tingle as she stroked her own arm up and down. The fluorescent rays hovered around her touch, reminding her of something magnetic.

"Your parents knew you were special from the start, that's why they made you wear that necklace. It concealed your soul shining through. The glow is invisible to the naked eye, except for anything that isn't human."

Emmy was too mesmerized to react. She started twirling around, laughing when it created sparks, lighting up the room. "Look, it's like fireworks!"

Gabriel smiled. There was something incredibly endearing about the pure nature of a child.

"Did the necklace burn sometimes?"

Emmy came to a sudden halt. "Yeah, it actually did. I remember when I was at Sammy's apartment, it stung so bad, I had to put it over my shirt."

The angel nodded. "That was because it sensed a supernatural presence."

"Azazel," she whispered. She knew the necklace used to warn her when she was in the presence of some creature, Missouri had explained it to her. A thought suddenly hit her. "Oh no, if I had known I could've saved Jessica and Sammy wouldn't – "

"Don't even try to blame yourself, Emmy," he interrupted. She might not be a Winchester but she sure acted like one, always feeling the need to take responsibility for everything. "There's nothing you could've done to stop that from happening. You can't change faith."

Emmy didn't say anything, just staring down at her glowing fingers.

Gabriel sighed, deciding to get back to the subject. "Do you recall that case with the mute boy, Lucas, and his mother?"

The young girl had to think for a second. "Oh yeah, he almost drowned in that lake until his grandfather sacrificed himself." Emmy shuddered, remembering how her brothers had jumped into the water where the ghost of the little boy was trying to drown Lucas.

"Do you also remember how in the very beginning, you almost drowned too?"

"Huh?" Emmy was confused.

"You were drawn to the lake. You heard voices, someone calling your name."

Blue eyes widened. "That was the little boy? The ghost?"

"It was him. You had taken off your necklace and he saw your soul," Gabriel explained. "The same thing happened when you met Meg and Maggie."

Emmy didn't forget how they'd looked at her, asking her if they could touch it. Now she knew what they were talking about.

"When Azazel had found you, he tinkered with your necklace, making it loose its purpose. So I did the only thing I could do, I cloaked you with a spell."

Remembering how the yellow eyed demon found her, she asked, "How did he manage to break that spell? He said he found me cause he got through."

"He must've infiltrated your head and messed with it, probably using your dreams as his ticket." Gabriel gritted his teeth, still not over the fact that he missed it. "But I won't let this happen again, you can take my word for it."

Emmy twirled a finger close against her face, watching the wisps of colorful light float about in the air. "We really gonna kill him tonight?"

"Isn't that what you want?"

Emmy dropped her hands from her face. "Of course I want him dead, after everything he put my family through." She casted a look to the closed door. "What about my dad, I mean my – my you know."

"He's still your father Emmy, God chose him to be the one to raise you."

"I know," she swallowed dryly, "It's still hard to accept it, you know."

"You take all the time you need," he reassured her. "And as for John – sweetie you realize that I haven't actually brought him back to stay."

Emmy's eyes suddenly stung with unshed tears. "I know, I know. Just wishful thinking I guess."

Gabriel reached out to her, hugging her tightly. He normally tried to keep his distance but this little girl had been through too much. "At least he'll rest in peace now, avenging his family had always been his dying wish."

With a sniff, she buried her nose in his shoulder, trying to compose herself. Now was not the time to burst into tears again. "At least I get to say goodbye now," she whispered.

 **SPN**

Ellen watched as Bobby poured her a shot of liquid from a flask and pushed it towards her.

"Bobby, is this really necessary?" she sighed.

He shrugged. "Just a belt of Holy Water. Shouldn't hurt."

She reluctantly lifted the shot glass to her mouth and swallowed it down. "Whiskey now, if you don't mind." She needed something that would erase the image of the Roadhouse burned down to ashes. _Oh, Ash …_

Dean noticed how Bobby kept throwing him murderous glances like he wanted to throttle him. He didn't blame the old man, especially after he confessed what he did. Dean wasn't going to apologize for it, he realized that his actions had consequences but consequences could be dealt with later, they would cross that bridge when they came to it. Now he had other things at his head – they needed to find Emmy and Yellow Eyes.

"Ellen, what happened? How'd you get out?" Dean asked in an attempt to take away the attention from him.

"I wasn't supposed to. I was supposed to be in there with everybody else," she said quietly before scoffing. "But we ran out of pretzels, of all things. It was just dumb luck." She drank the whiskey Bobby had poured for her and exhaled sharply. "Anyway, that's when Ash called. Panic in his voice.  
He told me to look in the safe. Then the call cut out. By the time I got back, the flames were sky-high. And everybody was dead. I couldn't have been gone more than fifteen minutes."

"Sorry, Ellen," Sam offered solemnly, he of all people knew how it was to lose the ones you loved.

"A lot of good people died in there. And I got to live," her voice broke as she teared up. "Lucky me."

Bobby cleared his throat, uncomfortable with the show of emotions. "Ellen, you mentioned a safe."

"A hidden safe we keep in the basement."

"Demons get what was in it?"

She shook her head. "No." Ellen pulled out a map from her pocket, unfolding it and setting it down on the table. The men in the room approached to study the several black lines and X's on it.

Dean cocked a single eyebrow in question. "Wyoming. What does that mean?"

The group proceeded to do what they always have done in similar situation – research.

Sam skimmed through a random book but he seemed unable to actually process the words he was reading. He sighed as he trailed his eyes up again at the beginning of the page. He couldn't concentrate, not with the constant worrying about his little sister. Just the thought of that little girl hurting in any way sent his heart pounding and not in a good way. Plus there was also the occasional glances between his surrogate uncle and brother. Something was off, _he_ felt off, and his ears were whizzing from the alarm bells ringing in his head.

The sound of a chair scraping against the floor brought his attention to Bobby.

"I can't believe it," the man almost whispered as he adjusted his hat.

Sam put his own book down. "What? You got something?"

"A lot more than that. Each of these X's," he pointed at the marks on the map, "is an abandoned frontier church— all mid-19th century. And all of them built by Samuel Colt."

Dean drew his eyebrows together. "Samuel Colt— the demon-killing, gunmaking Samuel Colt?"

"Yep. And there's more. He built private railway lines," he trailed his finger over the black lines, "connecting church to church. It just happens to lay out like this.

Dean's eyes widened as he watched Bobby connecting the points on the map until the shape of a star was made. "Tell me that's not what I think it is."

"It's a Devil's Trap," Sam said, "A 100-square mile Devil's Trap."

The oldest Winchester threw his hands up, before letting them fall to his sides. "That's brilliant. Iron lines demons can't cross."

Ellen looked deep in thoughts. "I've never heard of anything that massive."

Bobby snorted. "No one has."

"And after all these years none of the lines are broken? I mean, it still works?" Dean couldn't believe it.

"Definitely," his brother confirmed.

Turning to his brother with a challenging posture, he asked. "How do you know?"

"All those omens Bobby found. I mean the demons, they must be circling and they can't get in," Sam reasoned.

"Yeah, well... they're trying."

Ellen frowned at Bobby. "Why? What's inside?"

"That's what I've been looking for," Dean sighed tiredly. "And, uh, there's nothing except an old cowboy cemetery right in the middle."

Sam felt like something wasn't adding up. "Well what's so important about a cemetery or... what's Colt trying to protect?"

A thought struck Dean. "Well, unless ..."

"Unless what?" Bobby pushed.

"What if Colt wasn't trying to keep the demons out? What if he was trying to keep something in?"

 **SPN**

"What are we doing in a cemetery?" Emmy shivered a bit, hugging herself to keep warm.

"Patience is a virtue," John told her, keeping her close as they ducked behind some tombstones.

Emmy rolled her eyes, but refrained from scoffing. John Winchester didn't do patience, he probably didn't even know what it meant.

"Ow," she hissed when she felt a hand lightly smack the back of her head.

"I saw that," John chastised, referring to the eye roll.

Emmy couldn't help the smile tugging at her lips. She didn't care what anybody said, he was her father all right.

"So what are we waiting for exactly?" she asked as she looked around. "And where's Gabriel?"

"We're waiting for the right moment."

"Well that's vague." She huffed, sitting down on her knees and absentmindedly tugging at the dead grass beneath her. "So what's the plan?"

"The plan is that you follow my lead, I'll tell you what to do once we get there."

Emmy started chewing on the skin around her nails out of boredom. Though she couldn't deny that her stomach hurt a little from the tension and not knowing what was going to happen. A hand tugged her fingers from her mouth.

"You still bite your nails?"

Emmy shot him a sheepish smile. "Old habits die hard I guess."

"Don't ever change, Emmy. Can you promise me that?"

"I'll try," she smirked. "But I can't promise to stay this short with a baby face."

"I don't doubt you'll get taller eventually. Maybe you'll outgrow Dean, or even Sam," he joked.

Emmy pulled a horrified face. "Uh I sure hope not. Sammy already barely fits in the car and Dean's too big to sleep in any bed. Besides, if I get too tall, then who's gonna give me piggy back rides?"

John chuckled softly. Leave it to Emmy to worry about piggy back rides.

"They're on their way," Gabriel suddenly announced, startling the two and making them stand up.

Emmy was about to ask who 'they' was when her father cut her off.

"Thanks for everything, Gabriel." The angel merely nodded. "Promise me you'll protect my family."

Gabriel wanted to tell him that God had only assigned him to look out for one particular girl, but seeing that this wasn't the right moment, he only nodded again.

The angel cleared his throat. "Well, I helped you this far, my time has come to leave."

Emmy didn't like the sound of that. "Where are your going?"

"Don't worry, this isn't the last time we'll see each other." He gently tugged at her lopsided ponytail. "I wish you two the best of luck." He started to leave when he suddenly turned around, giving John a meaningful look. "You should probably do it now."

"Do what?" Emmy asked but Gabriel vanished into thin air. She faced her dad, "Do what?"

John positioned himself on one knee, so that he was on her eye level. "Say goodbye."

Emmy grabbed his shoulders, wishing he'd stay if she just held on tightly. "Already? Can't you stay a bit longer?"

He took a hold of her hands. "I'll stay until this all over, but then I'll have to go."

The young girl ran her thumb over his knuckles. "I bet there's nothing I can do to make you stay."

John could hear the tears in her voice. "No, baby girl." He had to swallow so his voice wouldn't betray his own emotions. He had to stay strong for her. "You need to promise me you'll never forget how much I love you, you and your brothers. You kids mean everything to me."

"I love you too," she said through trembling lips.

John cupped her cheek, bringing her gaze up to his. "Don't let what I told you stand in the way. I meant it when I said that I consider you mine. You were the best thing that ever happened to me, Emmy. I wouldn't change that for the world."

A sob bubbled up in her throat and Emmy could no longer hold it in. She flung into his arms, pressing her face into his shoulder. "I love you, Daddy."

John engulfed her in his embrace, he took in her scent, her soft hair, her sweet voice – he tried to memorize it all. He knew that he should be grateful he got the chance to see her for the last time, he was lucky he got to say goodbye. But the pain in his chest was still unbearable. The realization of leaving his children, never seeing Emmy grow up, abandoning them in a dangerous world … it was too much.

Emmy never wanted to let go, but the sound of a voice she knew all too well forced her to break up. She looked into the distance and gasped when she recognized her brothers, uncle and Ellen with another guy but she couldn't tell where she saw him before.

"Samm – "

"Shhh," John quickly covered her mouth, pulling her down to hide behind the tombstones again. "Not yet, sweetie, not yet."

Emmy wished she could alert her brothers and tell them where she was, but listened to John. He always knew what he was doing. Seeing her family standing, unharmed, in front of her lifted a huge weight from her shoulders. She couldn't wait to run into their arms, she missed them so much.

She could see them talk but they were too far to actually make out what they were saying. But observing the hostile looks and guarded demeanor, she could guess that it wasn't a friendly conversation.

"What is she doing?" Emmy whispered when Ellen pulled the gun to her head.

"He's manipulating her," John said.

That's when Emmy remembered, the guy was the one she saw with Sam when Azazel had locked her up in that house.

He took a gun and inserted it into what looked like a crypt. Next thing that happened was too fast for Emmy to understand. All she could see was Sam shooting the man. John turned her away to protect her from the sight but the gunshots didn't leave much to the imagination.

"Is he dead?" She was almost too scared to ask, but when her father didn't say anything, it confirmed her thoughts. Her brother murdered someone …

"What the – " John couldn't believe his own eyes. He squinted to see two separate engravings on the crypt spin in different directions. The doors to the crypt burst open and a large black mass erupted from the other side, shooting outwards.

Emmy watched as black smoke poured from the crypt with trails of smoke haring off in different directions. "What is it?"

John gulped. "Demons. They opened the devil's gate."

Emmy felt her heart skip a beat. "You mean they opened the door to _hell_?" Again, John's silence was the only answer she needed.

 _Crap._

 **SPN**

Dean grabbed the colt when thunder suddenly crashed. He was about to move when an invisible force flung the weapon out of his hands into another man's hand. He looked up to meet the gaze of a pair of yellow eyes.

"Boys shouldn't play with Daddy's guns," Azazel smirked before throwing Dean into the air where he hit his head on a tombstone.

Meanwhile Bobby, Ellen and Sam were still struggling to close the crypt door. When Sam noticed the presence of the demon he instantly ran to his brother. Only he didn't get far when he got thrown into a nearby tree.

Yellow Eyes tsked. "I'll get to you in a minute, champ. But I'm proud of you— knew you had it in you." He walked over to the oldest Winchester, pinning him against a post. "So, Dean... I gotta thank you. You see, demons can't resurrect people, unless a deal is made. I know, red tape— it'll make you nuts. But thanks to you, Sammy's back in rotation." He laughed, too happy about it. "Now, I wasn't counting on that, but I'm glad. I liked him better than Jake, anyhow. Tell me— have you ever heard the expression, 'If a deal sounds too good to be true, it probably is?'"

"You call that deal good?" Dean spat, not hiding his disgust and anger towards the demon.

"Well, it's a better shake than your dad ever got. And you never wondered why? I'm surprised at you. I mean..." he approached Dean, leaning in closer, "you saw what your brother just did to Jake, right? That was pretty cold, wasn't it? How certain are you that what you brought back, is 100%, pure, Sam?"

Sam was horrified. Before, some puzzle pieces were missing but now he was sure that his assumptions were true. Dean sold his soul to save him.

Azazel chuckled, still rubbing it in Dean's face. "You of all people should know, that's what's dead, should stay dead. Anyway, thanks a bunch. I knew I kept you alive for some reason. Until now, anyway. I couldn't have done it without your pathetic, self-loathing, self-destructive desire to sacrifice yourself for your family."

As he cocked the Colt, aiming it at Dean, a sudden pull caught his attention. Yellow Eyes was momentarily confused, not understanding where the sensation came from, it reminded him of –

"EMMY!" Bobby shouted, getting everyone's attention. "Girl, get the hell away from here!"

Both Sam and Dean were too shocked to move. All they could do at the moment was scan her from head to toe, making sure she wasn't sporting any bruises or injuries. She looked so out of place, yet at the same time it looked like she belonged right there with them. She reminded her brothers of the light at the end of the tunnel, the spark in the darkness, the star they wish upon. She seemed to be glowing and it was the most beautiful thing they had ever seen, it was mesmerizing.

Emmy wasn't fazed by the clouds of demonic smoke hovering around her, trying to have what was hiding inside of her. She only had eyes for one thing, her target, and it was right where she wanted.

Yellow Eyes smiled wickedly, licking his lips as he could practically taste the power radiating off of her. For a second he though he lost her, and now she was being handed to him on a silver plate. This was only getting better and better.

"Nice to see you again, Mary-Elisabeth," he greeted, even bending at the waist like she was some queen. "Welcome to the family reunion."

"Don't you dare get any closer, you bastard!" Sam threatened. He groaned in pain when the demon sent another blow into his stomach.

"Let them go," she demanded, her fists balled.

"Emmy, please don't," Dean practically begged. Azazel could break her little neck with a snap of his fingers, he could kill her right here and now and there was nothing he could do. This nightmare couldn't get any worse.

"I got this, Dean," she offered him a comforting smile. For once she was going to fix this, she was going to save her family. She addressed the demon again, the fire back in her eyes. "Remember last thing I told you?"

The demon chuckled. "You said you'd end me. I would like to see you try, little girl."

Emmy moved closer until she was toe to toe.

"Emmy, get back!" Both Sam and Dean shouted, what the hell was she doing? The brothers fought against their restraints but it was helpless. This was it, they were going to lose her too. Tears started brimming in their eyes.

"Remember when you asked me if I could feel it, the thing inside of me?" Emmy reached for the demons hand, holding it between her glowing hands. "I do."

Yellow Eyes looked at her with curious eyes, trying not to betray the uneasiness growing inside of him. "What are you doing?"

Emmy didn't say anything, she just kept holding his hand. She held his gaze, waiting for something. The demon opened his mouth to say something when he suddenly dropped to his knees. Emmy smiled.

Yellow Eyes grabbed his chest, panting and wheezing. He tried to tug his hand out of her hold but Emmy held on tighter. He started choking when black smoke started to seep through his mouth. His demon was unwillingly trying to crawl its way out of the vessel, and he was slowly losing the strength to keep it in. It was almost like something made its way inside of the man's body, pushing the demon out.

Emmy suddenly let go.

Yellow Eyes started coughing violently, the black smoke made its way back into the vessel.

Sam and Dean thought they were dreaming. Did their sister just tried to exorcise a demon with just the touch of her hand?

"Now you felt it, too. You still think I'm bluffing?" Emmy asked with her own version of a smirk.

After he caught his breath, Yellow Eyes got back to his feet. His hands were shaking so he quickly balled them up. He looked down at the little girl standing in front of him in disbelief. He never came across any human being that was capable of what she just did now. He was wrong, she was much more powerful than he thought. Blinking several times, he tried to mask the disdain and fear in his eyes.

"So this is it? You're gonna end me now?" he mocked, but anyone could hear the slight tremble in his voice.

"No, I could but I don't wanna," she said, surprising him. "I just wanted to make a point."

"So what's stopping you then?" he practically yelled. He was uncomfortable and nervous, knowing that his strength was no match against the ten year old. The demon wasn't used to that feeling, he was always at the top of the food chain and suddenly he wasn't.

Emmy shrugged. "It just doesn't seem fair to them, you know. They spent almost their entire lives to avenge this family but you had to ruin it all. But there's one person that really deserves to take a shot at you."

Azazel was baffled. "Who the hell are you talking about."

Emmy motioned to someone behind him with a tilt of her head.

The demon turned around just in time to see _John frikkin' Winchester_.

Sam, Dean, Bobby and Ellen were tempted to pinch their arms. This couldn't be real, this couldn't actually be John.

John grabbed the demon, tackling him to the ground. He soon realized that the demon had escaped the body it was possessing. But John wasn't giving up that easily, he lunched for the black cloud of smoke and wrestled it to the ground. Azazel pushed him off and entered the body once more.

Dean was the first to jump into action. The demon's distraction made the restraints come off, and it gave him enough liberty to grab the Colt, throwing it at his father. John caught the weapon and wasted not a single second at pointing it at the demon's heart.

Who thought that a gunshot would be so satisfying to hear. A single _bang_ was all John ever wanted, all he ever lived for – now that it was done, he could finally let go.

Ellen and Bobby momentarily stopped from trying to close the crypt as they stared at the dead body. The brothers looked like they were still in a shock, but anyone could see the relief washing over their faces.

Sam jumped to his feet and was the first to reach his sister. He picked her up into his arms and hugged her tightly. Emmy wrapped her legs and arms around him and started crying in his neck causing him to spill some tears too. She scared him to death the way she stood up against Yellow Eyes but at the same time he was so proud he couldn't even describe it.

"Oh, honey," he sniffed. "I'm so sorry, so sorry. Are you okay, you alright?" He smoothed down her hair, searching her eyes from something. Emmy could barely speak, still overwhelmed with all kinds of emotions. At the moment she was just happy to have her brother back. Sam understood and hugged her again. "Don't ever do this to me again, baby," he whispered in her ear before repeatedly kissing the side of her face, relishing in having her in his arms.

Meanwhile Dean was nailed to the ground. He couldn't help but stare at his father. He opened his mouth but no sounds came out. He wanted to thank his Dad for saving him, he wanted to say sorry for failing his siblings, he wanted to ask for forgiveness for bringing back Sam. But John merely smiled lightly.

 _You did the right thing_ , was what his eyes said.

Dean nodded with tears streaming down his cheeks. A sob broke his trance and Dean searched for the sound. His eyes fell upon the two people he fought for. For a moment he didn't care that he only had a year to live, he did it for them, and he'd do it again if he had to. They were his weakness and strength, his today and tomorrows, his home. _So_ _what_ if he'll go to hell in twelve months, his brother and sister where his heaven on earth. That's all he needed, it's all he ever needed.

Dean embraced his siblings, he pressed their heads together, praying for whoever was listening to keep these two safe and protected. He pressed a long, hard kiss to Emmy's temple, closing his eyes as he did, while grabbing the back of Sam's neck. It was worth it, he reminded himself, it was frikkin' worth it. He just hoped they knew how much he loved them – from the deep down of his soul, the innermost part within the bottom of his heart.

"We love you, too, Dean," Emmy said softly as she kissed his cheek, tears still freely rolling down her cheeks.

Sam squeezed his brother's shoulder, saying the same with his touch.

Dean thought his heart would combust.

A bright light caused the siblings to look up, just in time to catch their father slowly disappear. Emmy leaned her head against Sam's, while wrapping both her arms around her brothers' necks. She willed herself to grant her father with one last smile. She sniffed as she gave him a small wave.

"Goodbye, Daddy."

You want to know what tragedy is? Tragedy is the death of a husband and wife, a father and mother. Tragedy is the difference between what is and what could be. Tragedy is what we let die inside of us while we live. Tragedy is where we find our life's purpose.

Life is a tragedy.

 ** _A/N: I can't stop crying! I really didn't enjoy writing this chapter, I just didn't wanna go through the rollercoaster of emotions, it absolutely breaks my heart. Also the worse thing ever happened, I had written this chapter and I was almost done when my computer suddenly decided to be a bitch, I had to start allllllll over again and I couldn't stop crying cuz I didn't wanna go through it all again. Anyway, I survived, second season is finished, I still can't believe it…_**

 ** _THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU to each one of you! Every read, every follow, every favorite, every review meant the world to me, without your support I would've stopped a long time ago._**

 ** _Make sure to let me know what you thought of this story or chapter, tell me what you wanna see in the next installment, I'm all ears :)_**

 ** _Also, next story will be called_** ** _BR(OK)EN,_** ** _make sure you follow me so you'll be notified of the update._**

 ** _I can't thank you guys enough, I love you soooooooo f*cking much, you have no idea._**

 ** _BIG KISSES XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_**


End file.
